Bahrain riot police fire tear gas at protesters (AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Riot police in Bahrain fired tear gas at anti-government protesters denouncing reconciliation talks between the Gulf kingdom's rulers and the Shiite-led opposition on Saturday just hours after the dialogue began.

The renewed unrest — described by witnesses — underlines the deep tensions on the island nation after more than four months of harsh security crackdowns by the Western-allied monarchy.

It also points to the political risks for Bahrain's biggest Shiite party, Al Wefaq, which decided to join the U.S.-encouraged talks despite widespread anger among the majority Shiites — who claim they suffer systematic discrimination at the hands of the Sunni dynasty ruling Bahrain.

The protesters gathered near a landmark square in Manama, which was the epicenter of the Shiite uprising for greater rights that began in February. The witnesses said several hundred marchers chanted "No dialogue" just hours after a ceremony to open the talks in the strategic nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of harassment by authorities.

There were no immediate reports of injuries during the demonstrations that started after a funeral for a protester, who died on Thursday in a military hospital from injuries sustained during the unrest in March.

The death of 30-year-old protester, Majid Ahmed Mohammed, brings to 32 the number of those killed since February. Bahrain's Shiites account for 70 percent of the population, but say they face second-class status such as being effectively frozen out of top political and military posts.

Hundreds of opposition supporters, activists and others have been taken into custody and many other perceived protest backers have been purged from jobs and universities.

Washington has strongly pushed for dialogue in Bahrain. The Sunni monarchy has made token concessions ahead of the so-called "national dialogue," including sanctioning an international investigation that will include probes into the conduct of security forces during the revolt.

The White House said Saturday that it welcomes the formation of a commission of inquiry into the events and the launch of the political dialogue. "We urge all Bahrainis to seize this opportunity to forge a more just future together," said the statement.

But the government has not relented on opposition demands to free all detainees and clear others convicted of protest-linked charges, including eight activists sentenced to life in prison last month.

Parliament Speaker Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Dhahrani opened the forum Saturday by hailing the gathering as "a historic opportunity for all of us to overcome this critical stage of the nation's history through dialogue."

He said the goal is to bring "together different points of view to develop common visions" and added that the Sunni rulers are at the talks "without preconditions."

After a 45-minute ceremonial session, the approximately 300 participants adjourned. The talks are to last until the end of July, with delegates meeting three times a week.

Al Wefaq's participation "adds an important voice of Bahrain's political opposition to a process that has the potential to serve as a vehicle for reform and reconciliation," Toner added.

Al Wefaq's three delegates who attended Saturday's session, were not optimistic the dialogue will lead to meaningful reforms.

"It started as a monologue," said one of the three, Bushra al-Hindi. "The agenda has been previously set by the government in order to exclude talks about critical issues, such as moving along with a process that will reshape the country into a constitutional monarchy."

Al Wefaq's leader, Sheik Ali Salman, had told supporters on Friday that his group will stick to its calls for the Sunni monarchy to loosen the grip on power and allow people to elect a government.

Delegates from Bahrain's secular opposition party, Al Waad, also attended the talks. They held a picture of their leader, Ibrahim Sharif — the most prominent Sunni politician who has been imprisoned along with 20 other opposition leaders for plotting to overthrow Bahrain's 200-year-old monarchy.

Amid the crackdowns, Al Wefaq staged a mass resignation of its 18 lawmakers in the 40-member lower house of parliament. Two former lawmakers are in custody and on trial on anti-state crimes. Al Wefaq said one of them, Jawad Firooz, was listed on the party's five-member delegation to the talks although he didn't attend Saturday's opening session because he remains in detention.

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Bahrain govt and opposition to meet

Bahrain's main Shiite opposition group says it will present fair demands at the talksThe National Dialogue will focus on reaching consensus on reformBahrain has seen months of unrest, with many suspected pro-reform protesters arrestedThe Shiite minority complains of discrimination by the ruling Sunni elite

(CNN) -- Bahrain's government and the opposition are expected to start talks Saturday in a bid to agree on reforms following months of unrest in the Gulf state.

Representatives of the main Shiite opposition group, Al Wefaq, are among more than 300 people expected to join the so-called National Dialogue initiative, called for by Bahrain's King Hamad.

The dialogue will focus on reform, with the aim of reaching a consensus on how to achieve it.

The Al Wefaq bloc said it planned to present what it sees as fair demands.

Its secretary-general told a rally of thousands Friday that the group would stick to its demands, which include the immediate release of all political prisoners and a democratic government for all.

Bahrain's majority Shiite community has long complained of discrimination by the ruling Sunni elite.

Sheikh Isa Qassim, the country's senior Shiite cleric, said in his Friday sermon that if Al Wefaq participated in the dialogue, it must make progress in supporting and putting into practice grass-roots demands.

He said the group should withdraw from such talks if it was not producing results.

The head of an independent commission appointed by King Hamad to investigate charges of human rights abuses during recent government crackdowns on pro-reform protesters vowed Thursday to carry out a fair, methodical and transparent investigation.

"Everything that has happened since the events started in February will be part of the commission," said Mahmoud Cherif Bassiouni, a law professor and United Nations war crimes expert.

He pledged to follow international standards in investigating alleged abuses and praised the king for setting up the commission.

CNN

Bahrain medics return to court

Bahraini Shiite men chant anti-government slogans in the Shiite town of Sitra on March 18.The case is one of two involving 24 doctors and 23 nurses and paramedicsProsecutors allege the accused refused to help patientsHuman Rights groups have said Bahrain is targeting medical professionals for treating protesters

Abu Dhabi, Uae (CNN) -- More than two dozen medics accused of misdemeanors returned to court in Bahrain on Monday.

The case is one of two involving 24 doctors and 23 nurses and paramedics who are accused of working against the kingdom's government during large protests earlier this year.

Prosecutors allege the accused refused to help patients at Salmaniya Medical Complex, the main hospital in Manama. Charges also include deadly assault, storing and funneling weapons to protesters, and effectively holding people hostage, according to Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority.

Human Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Physicians for Human Rights, have said they believe Bahrain is actively targeting medical professionals for treating protesters at Salmaniya, which was taken over by security forces during the protest.

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The court hearing Monday lasted for about 30 minutes. A lawyer for the medics, accused of misdemeanors, told the judge he wanted to hear testimony from witnesses who were supposed to testify against the medics, according to a family member of one of the accused.

The judge said that he would not allow for the witnesses to testify as they testified earlier this month in the other case involving medics accused of more serious crimes.

During that previous court hearing, seven witnesses were called by the defense, according to the state-run Bahrain News Agency. One witnesses claimed that medics gave protesters blood bags to splash on themselves and distributed knives to protesters using an ambulance, BNA said. That court hearing is scheduled to resume June 30 with additional witness testimony.

Monday's court hearing was adjourned until July 6.

CNN

Cleric decries Bahrain protest leaders' sentences (AP)

MANAMA, Bahrain – Bahrain's top Shiite cleric on Friday sharply criticized the life sentences given to eight opposition leaders for their role in anti-government protests in this Gulf kingdom.

Sheik Isa Qassim's sermon is the latest signal that Shiite leaders could snub Sunni rulers' appeals for dialogue next month amid the crackdown in Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

The cleric called the mass trials of Shiite opposition figures unfair and appealed to the nation's Sunni rulers to overturn the sentences.

"This is not an environment for a political solution, when people are suffering," the cleric said during the Friday sermon in Diraz, an opposition stronghold northwest of the capital, Manama. "These sentences and abuses are like a dam preventing people from participating in dialogue."

A special security court on Wednesday convicted 21 opposition figures of plotting to overthrow the royal family. Eight leaders received life sentences and 13 others got long prison terms.

In a statement Friday, Bahrain's government defended the sentences, saying that the activists were convicted of "plotting to violently topple Bahrain's government" and "passing sensitive information to a terrorist organization in a foreign country."

Authorities claim that Iran was behind the protests they say were aimed at overthrowing the 200-year-old monarchy. Sunni rulers across the Gulf fear that any Shiite gains in the country could open new footholds for influence by Shiite power Iran. Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states sent troops to help quell the revolt.

Shiite leaders in Bahrain repeatedly have denied any ties to Iran and accuse leaders of using the fears of Iranian string-pulling to wage crackdowns. At least 31 people have died in the unrest and hundreds have been detained since February.

Bahrain's ruling dynasty has proposed opening talks with opposition delegates July 1, but the outreach has met a cool reception from Shiite leaders demanding that authorities roll back security measures and halt the trials against activists.

The security court was set up under martial law that was imposed in March to quell protests, and has promoted criticism from Bahrain's Western allies.

The U.S. had expressed concern about the severity of the sentences and the use of the military-linked security courts. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also has urged Bahrain's government to allow political activists to appeal their sentences.

Fourteen of the 21 convicted are in custody while the rest were sentenced in absentia.

The security court has presided over a series of cases linked to the protests, including issuing two death sentences against men accused of killing police officers during the demonstrations.

Earlier this month, it sentenced a 20-year-old woman to a year in prison for reading poetry critical of Bahrain's king.

A trial is scheduled to resume next week for more than 30 doctors and nurses accused of supporting the protests. Some of the medical personnel claim they were abused while in custody.

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Bahrain opposition figures given life sentences (Reuters)

MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain sentenced eight prominent Shi'ite Muslim activists and opposition leaders to life in prison on Wednesday on charges of plotting a coup during protests in the Gulf island kingdom earlier this year.

The sentencing stoked tensions in the kingdom, where small groups of demonstrators have held daily protests since emergency law was lifted on June 1, and may undermine a national dialogue planned by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa to start next month.

"No dialogue with al-Khalifa! We demand the release of the prisoners," shouted some 100 protesters in one village near the capital Manama, before riot police broke up the demonstration.

In all 21 defendants, six of them tried in absentia, were charged with plotting to overthrow the government by force in collusion with "a terrorist organization" working for a foreign country. They can appeal the sentences.

Seconds after the verdict was issued, one of the defendants lined up in grey prison suits shouted: "We will continue our peaceful struggle." Other defendants responded by shaking their fists and shouting "peaceful, peaceful."

Policemen hustled them from the courtroom. Some relatives responded by chanting the Muslim rallying cry "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) and one woman was dragged out of the chamber.

Among those who received life sentences was Shi'ite dissident Hassan Mushaimaa, leader of the hardline opposition group Haq, and Abduljalil al-Singace, from the same party. Haq joined two other groups in calling for the overthrow of the monarchy during mass protests in February and March.

Abdel Wahab Hussain, head of Wafa, another group that called for a republic, was also jailed for life. Ibrahim Sharif, Sunni Muslim leader of the secular leftist Waad party, received five years in prison. Waad and Bahrain's largest Shi'ite opposition group Wefaq had called for reform of the monarchy.

Danish-Bahraini citizen Abdulhady al-Khawaja, a rights activist, also received a life sentence, in the presence of several foreign diplomats who said the Danish embassy had not been granted access to Khawaja.

Bahrain's government said in a statement the "sentencing sends a message that law and order will be preserved.

"The defendants convicted today do not represent any significant number of the population, who actually believe that the way forward is through dialogue and peaceful means."

The United States, whose Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, criticized the sentences. "We are concerned about the severity of the sentences handed down," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. "We're also concerned about the use of military courts to try these civilians."

Britain, too, expressed concern that civilians were being tried before military judges. Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt said Ibrahim Sharif was "a prominent moderate politician who has been a constructive participant in Bahraini politics and represents a registered political party."

The U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists condemned as "political score-settling" the charges against the defendants, who included two bloggers.

"It is now incumbent on the international community, and particularly the kingdom's closest allies, to unambiguously convey to Bahrain that such blatant contempt for basic rights will not be tolerated," the group said in a statement.

PROTESTERS OUTRAGED

Bahrain's Sunni rulers, backed by forces from neighboring Sunni Gulf Arab states, crushed weeks of protests, mostly by majority Shi'ites, in March. Manama says the demonstrators had a

had a sectarian agenda backed by Shi'ite power Iran.

The opposition denies this, saying the protests aimed only to bring about democratic reform in the island monarchy.

Helicopters buzzed above Shi'ite villages and police armed with sound grenades and tear gas sought to snuff out protests.

In the island of Sitra, a hotspot for protests, youths blocked police cars by strewing cinder blocks, nails and wooden cupboards along village roads.

"I was furious at the nerve of the ruling family that they would give life sentences and then ask us to go to talks," said one woman protester named Maryam. "They were our symbols and the government chose to crush them. What does that say for us?"

Young men behind her regrouped in a protracted cat-and-mouse game with police. "Down, down (King) Hamad," they shouted.

Some observers have suggested King Hamad may try to cool tensions before the dialogue by granting a general amnesty to many of those jailed in recent trials.

In a statement, Wefaq said "these sentences will create an eternal political crisis without a quick ... solution."

Earlier, Wefaq spokesman Khalil al-Marzouq said Wefaq would not meet the government's Thursday deadline for responding to the invitation to dialogue, and could not say if it would join.

"Those people are a critical portion of the movement. How can there be a dialogue while they are in prison?" he asked.

(Additional reporting by Tabassum Zakaria in Washington; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

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Bahrain sentences 10 Shi'ites to life in prison (Reuters)

MANAMA (Reuters) – Bahrain sentenced 10 prominent Shi'ite activists and opposition leaders to life in prison on Wednesday on charges of plotting a coup during protests in the Gulf island kingdom earlier this year.

The sentencing could inflame tensions in the Gulf Arab kingdom, where demonstrators have launched small protests every day after emergency law was lifted on June 1. It may also threaten a national dialogue planned to start next month.

Seconds after the verdict was issued, one of 21 defendants lined up in grey prison suits shouted: "We will continue our peaceful struggle." Other defendants responded by shaking their fists and shouting "peaceful, peaceful."

Police officers pulled them out of the courtroom.

Some of the defendant's family members shouted "God is great," and one woman was dragged out of the courtroom. Her relatives say her whereabouts are unknown.

Among those who received life sentences was Shi'ite dissident Hassan Mushaimaa, leader of the hardline opposition group Haq, and Abduljalil al-Singace from the same party. Haq joined two other groups in calling for the overthrow of the monarchy during mass protests in February and March.

Ibrahim Sharif, the Sunni leader of the secular leftist Waad party, was sentenced to five years in prison. Waad and Bahrain's largest Shi'ite opposition group Wefaq had called for reform of the monarchy.

Representatives from several European embassies as well as the United States were in the courtroom, where other defendants received prison terms ranging from two to 15 years.

The charges ranged from incitement to attempting to overthrow the government by force in collusion with "a terrorist organization" working for a foreign country.

Bahrain's Sunni rulers, backed by forces from neighboring Sunni Gulf Arab states, crushed weeks of protests in March mostly by members of the Shi'ite majority. Manama says the protests had a sectarian agenda backed by Shi'ite power Iran.

The opposition argues the charges aim to distract Bahrain's ally the United States, which has its Navy's Fifth Fleet in the country, from activists' calls for democratic reform.

SURPRISE OUTCOME

Some observers have suggested King Hamad bin Isa may try to cool tensions before the dialogue by granting a general amnesty to many of those jailed in recent trials.

But opposition groups said they were surprised by the severity of the sentences before the planned talks.

"It's good no one got the death penalty but still, this will not be the right way to start dialogue. The sentences were much harsher than we expected," said a member of Bahrain's leading opposition group, Wefaq. "This is very bad."

Government officials were not immediately available for comment.

Members of the secular Waad party said they had been expecting Sharif, the party head, to be released.

"This was really surprising," one Waad member said. "It may affect our decision to go to dialogue but it's unclear, we still want to move forward for the country's future and there is always appeal."

The Danish-Bahraini citizen Abdulhady al-Khawaja, a rights activist, also received a life sentence.

"People will go out today now for sure, people will be angry. They will go to the streets because all of these were unfair trials," a relative of Khawaja said.

Bahrain says it has tried only a small number of the demonstrators, targeting those who were involved in criminal activity. The government contests the opposition's estimate that some 400 people are on trial, saying the number is far smaller.

"It seemed everything went according to the rules," one diplomat told Reuters after the trial. "At the same time it feels like the sentence was decided before it even started."

(Editing by Sami Aboudi and Elizabeth Piper)

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Bahrain opposition activists jailed for life

Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa said he was seeking a national dialogue with protesters last month.Defendants are forcibly taken out of court after the verdictThe verdicts come after human rights groups have urged Bahrain to stop the trials"This court does not meet international standards for human rights," an activist says

(CNN) -- A Bahrain court sentenced eight Shiite opposition activists to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of plotting to overthrow the country's Sunni royal family, state media said Wednesday.

They were among 21 people who were tried and convicted on terrorism-related charges in connection with the anti-government protests in the country, the Bahrain News Agency said.

Soon after the judge read the verdict, the defendants protested loudly -- prompting officials to forcibly remove them from the courtroom.

Zainab al-Khawaja, a spectator, disputed her father's life sentence by yelling "God is Great" and was arrested.

Most defendants hauled before Bahrain's special military court are facing blatantly political charges, and trials are unfair.
--Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch.

Rights groups have urged Bahrain to halt the special military court proceedings, with Human Rights Watch deeming them a violation of international law.

"Most defendants hauled before Bahrain's special military court are facing blatantly political charges, and trials are unfair," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

In a meeting earlier this month with U.S. President Barack Obama last week, Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa pledged he is seeking national dialogue with the protesters.

Bahrain's crackdown contradicts statements the prince made, Human Rights Watch said.

Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab also said he disapproved of the trials.

"This court does not meet international standards for human rights and for fair trials. The people were sentenced for expressing their opinion and for opposing the government," Rajab said. "This goes against the government saying it wants a dialogue."

Bahrain is one of several Middle Eastern and North African countries embroiled in anti-government protests. The ruling royal family -- Sunnis in a majority-Shiite nation -- accuses protesters of being motivated by sectarian differences and supported by Iran.

Also on trial in Bahrain are dozens of doctors and nurses who are accused of taking control of a hospital during the anti-government protests, storing weapons and keeping people prisoner.

The doctors, their lawyers and international human rights activists say the defendants were tortured to extract confessions against a background of demonstrations in the kingdom.

From CNN's Jenifer Fenton

CNN

Bahrain doctors on trial, allege torture to get confessions

A shot from February shows doctors and nurses holding a banner while marching from the Salmaniya Medical Complex, now at the center of court proceedings in Bahrain.NEW: The doctors appear stressed and anxious in courtNEW: The judge denies a request to free the defendants during the trialDozens of doctors and nurses are accused of taking control of a hospital and holding prisonersThe judge agrees to have civilian doctors examine the defendants

Manama, Bahrain (CNN) -- Dozens of doctors and nurses went on trial Monday in Bahrain, accused of taking control of a hospital during anti-government protests, storing weapons and keeping people prisoner.

The doctors, their lawyers and international human rights activists say the defendants were tortured to extract confessions against a background of demonstrations in the kingdom.

Eleven male doctors appeared in court Monday, their heads shaven, alongside at least five female doctors. They appeared stressed and anxious.

One of the doctors tried to tell the judge that his confession had been extracted under torture, but the judge told him to stop and that he would be able to give evidence later in the trial.

About half the courtroom was packed with family members. Human rights observers were in the court.

Defense lawyers asked for civilian doctors to examine their clients, who have only been seen by military medical staff to date.

The judge agreed, and adjourned until next week after a brief hearing.

The judge denied a request from some defense lawyers that the doctors be released while the trial is ongoing.

Many of the defendants -- 24 doctors and 23 nurses and paramedics -- worked at Salmaniya Medical Complex, which the government says served as a coordination point for protests against the government earlier this year.

Prosecutors alleged Monday that automatic weapons and ammunition were discovered in the hospital, that the defendants "hijacked" the hospital building and controlled it, that they protested and used violence in a government building (the hospital), and that they kidnapped the people in the hospital and kept them prisoner inside.

Government official Abdul-Aziz bin Mubarak al-Khalifa raised the country's sectarian divide, accusing the doctors of refusing to treat Sunnis and ethnic Indians.

Most Bahrains are Shiite, but the ruling elite are Sunni.

"We expect doctors to observe their oath and treat all people, regardless of sect, equally," al-Khalifa said in comments to CNN the day before the hearing.

Activists and human rights groups allege that the medical workers are being prosecuted for treating protesters.

We found doctors were simply providing ethical and life-saving medical care to patients whom Bahraini security forces had shot, detained and tortured
--Richard Sollom, Physicians for Human Rights

Protests swept the strategically important island kingdom this year as populations across the Arab world rose up against their rulers. The small, predominantly Shiite country, governed by a Sunni royal family, is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

About 30 people have died during protests, according to figures from the government, opposition figures and human rights groups. Opposition and human rights groups say the government has detained more than 1,000 people.

During the protests, security forces stormed the Salmaniya Complex, the main hospital in the capital Manama, and beat doctors and demonstrators, according to witnesses.

The hospital "was used as a coordination center by protesters and had been overrun by political and sectarian activity, severely interrupting services and endangering lives," said Houda Noono, Bahrain's ambassador to the United States.

"During this period, patients were refused treatment on the basis of their sect or ethnicity, and emergency calls were neglected," she said. "The hospital grounds were barricaded and Salmaniya was very clearly no longer a neutral, medical establishment. As a result, the action to secure the hospital was both unavoidable and necessary."

Human rights groups have accused the government of widespread attacks on doctors and other medical workers.

"We documented a systematic attack on medical staff in Bahrain including the beatings, torture and disappearances of more than 30 physicians," said Richard Sollom, deputy director of Physicians for Human Rights.

"We found doctors were simply providing ethical and life-saving medical care to patients whom Bahraini security forces had shot, detained and tortured," Sollom said.

Physicians for Human Rights, a group that shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to ban landmines, says it sent investigators to the Persian Gulf kingdom and interviewed 45 patients, doctors, nurses and witnesses.

The report details attacks on "physicians, medical staff, patients and unarmed civilians with the use of bird shot, physical beatings, rubber bullets, tear gas and unidentified chemical agents," the group said in an April report.

Its report echoes those released earlier by Human Rights Watch and Doctors Without Borders.

Bahraini officials have denied the allegations.

CNN's Jenifer Fenton contributed to this report.

CNN

Bahrain imprisons poet, tries politicans

Thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the Bahraini capital of Manama on Saturday, June 11, 2011.NEW: Two former opposition lawmakers plead not guilty to trying to overthrow the governmentNEW: They will remain in custody until their next hearing, an official saysA poet is sent to prison for reading a work criticizing the government, activists sayA human rights activist says the trials do not meet international standards

Manama, Bahrain (CNN) -- At least two former Bahraini opposition lawmakers went on trial Sunday, as a military court sentenced a 20-year-old poet to a year in prison.

Matar Matar and Jawad Fairooz were charged with "spreading malicious lies in an attempt to overthrow the government," an official in the Information Affairs Authority told CNN.

Both men pleaded not guilty and will remain in custody until their next hearing, said the official, Sheikh Abdul-Aziz bin Mubarak. He said their lawyers have been given more time to prepare their cases.

Both men were seized May 2, family members said.

The trials come after the small, strategically important Gulf kingdom was swept by protests earlier this year as part of the Arab Spring demonstrations.

The legal proceedings began Sunday without prior notice, according to a Matar family member who asked not to be named for security reasons.

Fairooz's lawyer only found out the charges once he appeared in court Sunday, the defendant's brother Jamsheer Fairooz said.

Jawad Fairooz said he was being treated well and looked to be in physically good condition but had "aged 10 years -- his beard and hair have both gone white," his brother said.

Matar, 35, was taken from his car by armed men in masks on May 2, according to a relative. He represented the biggest constituency in Bahrain, with approximately 16,000 people.

Elected to the lower house of Parliament in October 2010, Matar resigned along with other Wefaq lawmakers earlier this year to protest the government crackdown on demonstrators. Wefaq is a Shiite party, the predominant religion in the kingdom whose rulers are Sunni.

Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab said the trials are "not (of) an international standard," saying the defendants had "not only (had) no access to lawyer but even their families (were) not informed they were being taken court."

Meanwhile, poet Ayat al-Qormozi, 20, was found guilty of assembling at Pearl Roundabout, the epicenter of anti-government demonstrations in the kingdom earlier this year. Additional charges included speaking out against Bahrain and the king.

The Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights said she read a poem criticizing government policy at the Roundabout.

Mubarak, the government official, said Bahrain had freedom of speech, but that there were limits.

"Freedom of speech in this country has its boundaries and cannot touch on the leadership, and cannot call for the overthrow of the government," he said.

Her poem, he said, "caused incitement and hatred to his majesty the king and to the prime minister" with lines such as "we are people who kill humiliation" and "assassinate misery."

Amnesty International called the charges "unfair" in a statement after the sentence.

"By locking up a female poet merely for expressing her views in public, Bahrain's authorities are demonstrating how free speech and assembly are brutally denied to ordinary Bahrainis," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

Al-Qormozi had been detained since March 30, after her father led security forces to her in the face of threats to his other children's lives, a family member said.

She alleges that she received electrical shocks to her face and was beaten with a hose while in detention, according to the relative, who asked not to be named for security reasons.

Her mother and father were the only family members allowed in court, the relative said, adding that a lawyer was present with her.

Bahraini security forces went to her house around midnight a few days before she was detained, but she was not home, the relative said.

The security forces broke things in the house and told the family they would return the following day for her. They returned the next night but she was still in hiding, the relative said.

The family member said security forces then took two of the poet's four brothers and threatened them with guns in their faces. The father, fearing for his family's lives, took the security forces to her. The family was assured that she would not be harmed, the family member said.

Bahrain's government declined to comment on the specifics of al-Qormozi's case, but said: "All detention centers conform to the conditions set down under international human rights regulations and the detainees are treated as innocent until proven guilty."

Thousands of Bahrainis protested their government Saturday in a rally organized by the Wefaq party.

Unafraid, pro-reform demonstrators hit the streets with their faces uncovered, said a journalist at the scene who was not identified for security reasons.

Rajab, the human rights activist, put the turnout at "no less than 10,000," while police put it at 4,000, the national news agency said.

Rajab said the march went off peacefully, with no security forces present.

It was the second such protest since the government last week lifted emergency laws that were imposed in mid-March, allowing a crackdown on political leaders and journalists.

Bahrain's ruling royal family -- Sunnis in a majority-Shiite nation -- accuses protesters of being motivated by sectarian differences and supported by Iran.

Ali Salman, the secretary general of al Wefaq, told the large crowds that he supports the government's offer of dialogue but said he could not endorse it fully until the conditions for such talks were clear.

Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa pledged cooperation from the government "to reach national consensus so as to ensure a better future for the kingdom," the state-run Bahrain News Agency said.

Crown Prince Salman, who met with U.S. officials in Washington Wednesday, thanked President Barack Obama for his backing of a national dialogue in Bahrain.

Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, and the United States has been concerned about the instability in the Persian Gulf island state.

CNN's Nic Robertson and Jenifer Fenton contributed to this report.

CNN

Thousands rally for reform in Bahrain (Reuters)

MANAMA (Reuters) – Thousands of Bahrainis shouting "we are victorious" gathered for a rally for political reform on Saturday, in the first large demonstration since the Gulf Arab state crushed a democracy protest movement in March.

Bahrain brought in troops from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates in March and introduced martial law, which ended last week, to stop the protests against the Sunni Al-Khalifa family that rules over a Shi'ite majority population.

The government said the protests had a sectarian agenda and help from Shi'ite power Iran, just across the Gulf waters. The opposition denies this.

"Some try to manipulate our demands, to make them Shi'ite demands. This is not true. We are not calling for an Iran, but to build up our political reforms together, Shi'ite and Sunni, which will benefit all Bahrainis," said Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the Wefaq opposition group which organized the event.

"We will continue peacefully and we will continue our peaceful demonstrations," he said, as the crowd roared back: "Peaceful, peaceful!"

The rally will likely be seen as a show of strength by Wefaq, Bahrain's leading Shi'ite opposition group, as it heads to a national dialogue called by the king for next month.

"Wefaq wants to encourage people to get back out after months of fear. It's a good sign ," said protester Fatima.

The government said it granted permission for the rally, held in a large square in the Shi'ite district of Saar, west of the capital and away from central Pearl Roundabout, epicenter of the earlier protests inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Protesters waving Bahraini flags spilled out into the streets and dozens watched from nearby rooftops.

People drove in from around the city, causing traffic jams of more than 2 km long. State helicopters buzzed over crowds raising signs that read "The nation is for everyone."

Opposition figures more than 10,000 people attended the rally. The Interior Ministry said 4,000 people were gathered.

NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Barbed wire and armored vehicles guard Pearl Roundabout in Manama, where protesters camped out for about six weeks, to prevent it from becoming a focal point for protests again.

But protesters in Saar described a new sense of optimism.

"I think the crowd speaks for itself," said Fadel, carrying his small son, wrapped in a Bahraini flag. "Hopefully, this will be the next Pearl Roundabout."

King Hamad bin Isa has offered a new dialogue with opposition groups starting in July. Wefaq said it would organize more rallies until then, and may plan a march for next week.

"The dialogue should offer real political solutions, it should not be cosmetic talk. We are serious about this dialogue," Salman said in his 30-minute speech.

"They say the Shi'ites want a special government for themselves. No, we want a civilian state and an elected government for all... This is what we demanded in Pearl Roundabout and it is what we will again call for here."

Wefaq organizers quietened those in the crowd who tried to chant "Down with the government," frustrating some protesters.

"I think the people want the fall of this regime. After the repression and the killings, how can we go back?" said protester Amal, swathed in a black veil.

The government appointed its parliament speaker on Saturday to lead the national dialogue, the state news agency said, but the opposition said Crown Prince Salman -- seen as leader of a moderate wing of the ruling family -- should head the talks.

Khalifa al-Dhahrani, speaker of the Council of Representatives, said he hoped to bring "all parties concerned with matters of the state" into the dialogue.

Wefaq's Khalil al-Marzooq said Dhahrani was opposed to many of the opposition's core demands.

"He has previously objected to discussing reforms over elections, constitutional amendments and the issue of discrimination," he said. "Genuine dialogue must be with the prince or the king because we need to discuss the central issues which are between the people and the ruling family."

Bahrain's cabinet is dominated by the ruling family and the king also appoints all members of an upper assembly, minimizing the powers of the elected parliament.

At the rally, Shi'ites said they broke a barrier of fear after over two months of military rule, when hundreds were detained or dismissed from their jobs and dozens were put on trial on charges from incitement to trying to overthrow the system.

"This needed to happen. The government thought they could suppress everything with the state of emergency. It seems they did not," one protester said.

(Reporting by Erika Solomon, writing by Andrew Hammond and Erika Solomon, editing by Alison Williams)

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Thousands rally for reform in Bahrain (Reuters)

MANAMA (Reuters) – Thousands of Bahrainis shouting "we are victorious" gathered for a rally for political reform on Saturday, in the first large demonstration since the Gulf Arab state crushed a democracy protest movement in March.

Bahrain brought in troops from Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates in March and introduced martial law, which ended last week, to stop the protests against the Sunni Al-Khalifa family that rules over a Shi'ite majority population.

The government said the protests had a sectarian agenda and help from Shi'ite power Iran, just across the Gulf waters. The opposition denies this.

"Some try to manipulate our demands, to make them Shi'ite demands. This is not true. We are not calling for an Iran, but to build up our political reforms together, Shi'ite and Sunni, which will benefit all Bahrainis," said Sheikh Ali Salman, head of the Wefaq opposition group which organized the event.

"We will continue peacefully and we will continue our peaceful demonstrations," he said, as the crowd roared back: "Peaceful, peaceful!"

The rally will likely be seen as a show of strength by Wefaq, Bahrain's leading Shi'ite opposition group, as it heads to a national dialogue called by the king for next month.

"Wefaq wants to encourage people to get back out after months of fear. It's a good sign ," said protester Fatima.

The government said it granted permission for the rally, held in a large square in the Shi'ite district of Saar, west of the capital and away from central Pearl Roundabout, epicenter of the earlier protests inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.

Protesters waving Bahraini flags spilled out into the streets and dozens watched from nearby rooftops.

People drove in from around the city, causing traffic jams of more than 2 km long. State helicopters buzzed over crowds raising signs that read "The nation is for everyone."

Opposition figures more than 10,000 people attended the rally. The Interior Ministry said 4,000 people were gathered.

NATIONAL DIALOGUE

Barbed wire and armored vehicles guard Pearl Roundabout in Manama, where protesters camped out for about six weeks, to prevent it from becoming a focal point for protests again.

But protesters in Saar described a new sense of optimism.

"I think the crowd speaks for itself," said Fadel, carrying his small son, wrapped in a Bahraini flag. "Hopefully, this will be the next Pearl Roundabout."

King Hamad bin Isa has offered a new dialogue with opposition groups starting in July. Wefaq said it would organize more rallies until then, and may plan a march for next week.

"The dialogue should offer real political solutions, it should not be cosmetic talk. We are serious about this dialogue," Salman said in his 30-minute speech.

"They say the Shi'ites want a special government for themselves. No, we want a civilian state and an elected government for all... This is what we demanded in Pearl Roundabout and it is what we will again call for here."

Wefaq organizers quietened those in the crowd who tried to chant "Down with the government," frustrating some protesters.

"I think the people want the fall of this regime. After the repression and the killings, how can we go back?" said protester Amal, swathed in a black veil.

The government appointed its parliament speaker on Saturday to lead the national dialogue, the state news agency said, but the opposition said Crown Prince Salman -- seen as leader of a moderate wing of the ruling family -- should head the talks.

Khalifa al-Dhahrani, speaker of the Council of Representatives, said he hoped to bring "all parties concerned with matters of the state" into the dialogue.

Wefaq's Khalil al-Marzooq said Dhahrani was opposed to many of the opposition's core demands.

"He has previously objected to discussing reforms over elections, constitutional amendments and the issue of discrimination," he said. "Genuine dialogue must be with the prince or the king because we need to discuss the central issues which are between the people and the ruling family."

Bahrain's cabinet is dominated by the ruling family and the king also appoints all members of an upper assembly, minimizing the powers of the elected parliament.

At the rally, Shi'ites said they broke a barrier of fear after over two months of military rule, when hundreds were detained or dismissed from their jobs and dozens were put on trial on charges from incitement to trying to overthrow the system.

"This needed to happen. The government thought they could suppress everything with the state of emergency. It seems they did not," one protester said.

(Reporting by Erika Solomon, writing by Andrew Hammond and Erika Solomon, editing by Alison Williams)

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Thousands turn out for Bahrain reform

Thousands of opposition supporters rally in the Bahraini capital of Manama on Saturday.The government lifted emergency laws last weekThe ruling Sunni royal family accuses Iran of backing the protestsShiites are a majority in the Persian Gulf state

Manama, Bahrain (CNN) -- Thousands of Bahrainis protested their government Saturday in a rally organized by the main opposition party.

Unafraid, pro-reform demonstrators hit the streets with their faces uncovered, said a journalist at the scene who was not identified for security reasons.

It was the second such protest since the government last week lifted emergency laws that were imposed in mid-March, allowing a crackdown on political leaders and journalists.

Sunday, attention will focus on the case of a 20-year-old poet who was arrested for writing and then reading her anti-government work at earlier demonstrations. She is expected to appear in military court Sunday.

Bahrain's ruling royal family -- Sunnis in a majority-Shiite nation -- accuses protesters of being motivated by sectarian differences and supported by Iran.

Ali Salman, the secretary general of al Wefaq, Bahrain's principal opposition party, dismissed those claims Saturday.

He told the large crowds that he supports the government's offer of dialogue but said he could not endorse it fully until the conditions for such talks were clear.

Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa pledged cooperation from the government "to reach national consensus so as to ensure a better future for the kingdom," the state-run Bahrain News Agency said.

Crown Prince Salman, who met with U.S. officials in Washington Wednesday, thanked President Barack Obama for his backing of a national dialogue in Bahrain.

Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, and the United States has been concerned about the instabilityin the Persian Gulf island state.

CNN's Nic Robertson contributed to this report.

CNN

F1: Bahrain Grand Prix called off

Bahrain's international circuit will see no Formula One racing this year after organizers abandoned plans to reschedule the race.Bahrain Grand Prix organizers abandon plans to stage a race this yearRace had been given a provisional new date of October 30 Decision by World Motor Sport Council was widely criticizedCivil unrest in gulf kingdom has left about 30 people dead

(CNN) -- The Bahrain Grand Prix will not go ahead after organizers said Friday that they had abandoned plans to re-schedule the race later this year.

Bahrain were to host the opening race of the 2011 Formula One season on March 13, but it was postponed on February 21 after civil unrest in the gulf kingdom.

Last week, the World Motor Sport Council re-instated the race and gave it a provisional date of October 30.

The decision drew widespread criticism and former FIA president Max Mosley told CNN Tuesday that he would be "astonished" if the race proceeded.

Red Bull driver Mark Webber also weighed in, telling his official website:"I'll be highly surprised if the Bahrain Grand Prix goes ahead this year."

It has been made clear that this fixture cannot progress and we fully respect that decision
--Bahrain GP organizers

The Formula One Teams Association also confirmed to CNN Tuesday that they had written to world governing body the FIA, Formula One commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone and the Bahrain International Circuit to express their views on the issue.

The Bahrain circuit's chairman Zayed R Alzayani confirmed their decision in a statement on their official website Friday.

It read: "Whilst Bahrain would have been delighted to see the grand prix progress on October 30th in-line with the World Motor Sport Council's decision, it has been made clear that this fixture cannot progress and we fully respect that decision.

"Bahrain has absolutely no desire to see a race which would further extend the calendar season detract from the enjoyment of F1 for either drivers, teams or supporters," he said.

The inaugural Indian Grand Prix, scheduled for the October 30 slot at a new circuit on the outskirts of New Delhi, was set to be pushed back to December but can now go ahead on its original date.

About 30 people have died during protests in Bahrain, according to figures from the government, opposition figures and human rights groups.

Opposition and human rights groups say the government has detained more than 1,000 people.

A state of emergency was lifted last week and Bahrain Grand Prix organizers remain hopeful that they can stage a race in 2011.

"We look forward to welcoming teams, their drivers and supporters back to Bahrain next year," read the statement.

CNN

The U.S. and Bahrain: How to Talk Just Tough Enough with an Ally (Time.com)

On Tuesday - just seven days after his country lifted 13 weeks of martial law - Bahrain's Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, met separately with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington. A White House statement said the President supported al-Khalifa's "ongoing efforts to initiate national dialogue" and that Bahrain's stability "depends upon respect for the universal rights of the people of Bahrain, including the right to free speech and peaceful assembly."

Coming after Obama lashed out at Bahrain's violent crackdown on peaceful protesters in a speech on May 19, his support was a public about-face that looks to repair ties with a key Middle East ally. It also appeared to signal that America will stop its public criticism of Bahrain's government even as it urges the Sunni-dominated regime to begin talks with opposition leaders. (See photos of protesters being routed from Pearl Square.)

The meetings represent "a shift in tone and indicate a softening of the U.S. stance towards Bahrain," says Shadi Hamid, research director at the Brookings Doha Center, "and show that the U.S. simply isn't serious about putting real sustained pressure on the regime right now." The effect of Tuesday's visit has been to put a band-aid on tensions between the two countries and is, Hamid says, "a green light" for Bahrain's government to go about its business without criticism or interference from the U.S. That business includes both the country's re-opening to international commerce scared off by the turmoil of the spring, and the final stages of a months-long violent crackdown on protesters, which this week saw security forces repeatedly attack Shi'a enclaves with rubber bullets and tear gas.

Since March 13, when Saudi tanks rolled into Manama and security forces began arresting anyone associated with the anti-government movement - including journalists and medical workers - the U.S. government has faced a conundrum. How does Obama reprimand an ally that houses the Navy's Fifth Fleet in a geopolitical arena that includes its regional nemesis, Iran? (See photos of the crackdown in Bahrain.)

"Bahrain has always been ground zero of America's inability to reconcile interests and ideals in the Arab Spring," says Hamid. "It's difficult for the Administration to handle and they haven't really found a way yet." Obama has also come under fire from international rights groups and Bahrain's Shi'as, who have repeatedly said his and Clinton's sporadic criticisms were mere lip service and that both should have taken a tougher public stance against the regime's violent tactics.

The White House said Tuesday that Obama urged al-Khalifa to follow through on "the government's commitment to ensuring that those responsible for human rights abuses will be held accountable," a marked shift in tone from May 19, when he lambasted the regime's destruction of more than 30 Shi'a mosques.

"We've called on the Obama administration to call out strongly and publicly and in no uncertain terms about the human rights violations that occurred," says Hans Hogrefe, chief policy officer at Physicians for Human Rights, which this week decried the sentencing of 48 doctors and nurses whose ministering to injured demonstrators led to their prosecution for participating in the protests. "We would hope that there would have been a more public discourse - it's important for the region to see that we measure human rights with the same yardstick everywhere, that we're not just condemning Syria and Libya all the time but let our friends off easy." (See if Obama's speech helps Bahrain's reformists.)

The U.S. government's aim this week was to emphasize the need for immediate talks about reform between Bahrain's regime and opposition officials. Though the Crown Prince has said he would be open to meeting with Shi'a leaders, Obama, in his May speech, echoed activists' frustration that it was impossible to begin negotiations when most of the opposition leadership was in jail. "The thing that's driving this visit to D.C. is that [Obama and Clinton] are trying to tell the Shi'a to actually negotiate. And to tell the royal family to negotiate," says Thomas Ferguson, senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute. "The statement was blunt." Obama's solidarity is crucial for the fairly moderate Crown Prince, whose influence in Bahrain has declined as he fights the growing number of hard-line extremists within his own government.

At stake going forward is the U.S.'s relationship not just with Bahrain but Saudi Arabia, whose soldiers joined forces with Bahraini security officers in quelling the island nation's revolution in March. Many see the conflict in Bahrain as a proxy war between the Saudis and Iran, with the latter looking to seize on any perceived weakness in the relationship between oil-rich Saudi and America. (See how Bahrain is stuck between Saudi Arabia and Iran.)

"The U.S. has a fundamental interest in keeping its relationship with the Saudis on an even keel, and Bahrain is its biggest issue," says Joost Hiltermann, deputy Middle East director at the International Crisis Group. Obama "knows that Iran will exploit instability in the region. The current situation is feeding into Iranian interests, because the more you suppress the Shi'a, the more they will radicalize and look for external sponsors. So it's important for the U.S. to pressure the regime to open up political space and allow participation for all its people." This week, "they're insisting on the need for dialogue without preconditions as an inclusive exercise that leads to genuine political reform."

"Rights groups may say it's not doing enough publicly to criticize its close ally," Hiltermann continues. "But the government believes that private talks are more useful in this situation than public scorn." Before Clinton's meeting Tuesday, State Department spokesman Mark Toner alluded to the possibility of criticism - and echoed the government's months-long stance on its public treatment of its island ally. "We'll obviously raise our concerns," he told reporters. "Bahrain is a friend and partner, but we can be candid with them, as well." Though opposition leaders have long agitated for stronger public rebukes from the Americans, most now side with Sheikh Ali Salman, head of official opposition party al Wefaq, who said last month that the group was ready for negotiations. After months of violence, it's likely the country's Shi'a majority won't fault U.S. leaders for keeping their discussions with the Crown Prince largely private - as long as promises of talks are kept, and tear gas stops raining down on Manama.

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Bahrain to try medics over protests

Bahraini medics were called on to treat dozens of wounded protesters in the wake of anti-government demonstrationsNEW: Detained medics tell relatives of abuse claims, sources sayA judge delays the trial to give defendants more time to consult with their lawyersThe government says the 47 people will be tried for anti-government activitiesBut rights groups allege the medics are being prosecuted for treating protesters

(CNN) -- Medical workers accused of trying to overthrow Bahrain's monarchy, among other charges, will get additional time to consult with attorneys before their trial begins, a military court judge ruled Monday.

The judge postponed the trial of the 47 health workers to June 13. It originally was scheduled to begin Monday.

Many of the medics -- 24 doctors and 23 nurses and paramedics -- worked at Salmaniya Medical Complex, which the government says served as a coordination point for protests against the government where staff neglected their duties.

The justice ministry said the accused are charged with crimes that include incitement to overthrow the regime, deadly assault and refusal to help persons in need.

Activists and human rights groups allege that the medical workers are being prosecuted for treating protesters.

During Monday's session, lawyers for the medics challenged the court's legitimacy and asked that workers accused of misdemeanors be released, according to one person who was in court and an opposition figure who spoke with someone who attended the hearing.

The judge denied both motions, the sources said.

The medics were allowed to visit with relatives for about 10 minutes, the sources said.

Some of them told family members that they had been subjected to physical, psychological and verbal abuse, the sources confirmed.

Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the allegations.

Protests swept the strategically important island kingdom this year as populations across the Arab world rose up against their rulers. The small, predominantly Shiite country, governed by a Sunni royal family, is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet.

About 30 people have died during protests, according to figures from the government, opposition figures and human rights groups. Opposition and human rights groups say the government has detained more than 1,000 people.

During the protests, security forces stormed the Salmaniya Medical Complex, the main hospital in the capital Manama, and beat doctors and demonstrators, according to witnesses.

The hospital "was used as a coordination center by protesters and had been overrun by political and sectarian activity, severely interrupting services and endangering lives," said Houda Noono, Bahrain's ambassador to the United States.

"During this period, patients were refused treatment on the basis of their sect or ethnicity, and emergency calls were neglected," she said. "The hospital grounds were barricaded and Salmaniya was very clearly no longer a neutral, medical establishment. As a result, the action to secure the hospital was both unavoidable and necessary."

Human rights groups have accused the government of widespread attacks on doctors and other medical workers.

"We documented a systematic attack on medical staff in Bahrain including the beatings, torture and disappearances of more than 30 physicians," said Richard Sollom, deputy director of Physicians for Human Rights.

"We found doctors were simply providing ethical and life-saving medical care to patients whom Bahraini security forces had shot, detained and tortured," Sollom said.

Physicians for Human Rights, a group that shared the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to ban landmines, says it sent investigators to the Persian Gulf kingdom and interviewed 45 patients, doctors, nurses and witnesses.

The report details attacks on "physicians, medical staff, patients and unarmed civilians with the use of bird shot, physical beatings, rubber bullets, tear gas and unidentified chemical agents," the group said in an April report.

Its report echoes those released earlier by Human Rights Watch and Doctors Without Borders.

Bahraini officials have denied the allegations.

CNN

Thousands in Bahrain mourn protesters

NEW: Bahrain's prime minister meets with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-MoonHundreds had marched in Sanabis to mourn the woman, an opposition source saysAbout 1,000 also gathered in Manama to mourn the death of a 63-year-old manBahrain lifted its emergency laws Wednesday, but continues to target opposition

Manama, Bahrain (CNN) -- Thousands of Bahrainis hit the streets again to vent their anger at the Arab nation's government on Friday, an opposition source said, days after the justice ministry warned against "any type of activities that could affect the security or harm the national peace and safety."

Sanabis, just west of the capital, Manama, was the hub of the day's biggest demonstrations. Thousands marched late Friday in the suburb, an opposition source said.

Earlier, about 1,000 people had gathered to mourn Zainab Ali Altajir, a 69-year-old woman who died Thursday after allegedly inhaling tear gas fired by authorities as they clashed with protesters, an opposition figure said.

In a statement on Bahrain's interior ministry website, the government denied that the woman died from tear gas inhalation, saying she had chronic heart disease and died of natural causes.

Later Friday, the opposition source said, about 1,000 demonstrators congregated in Manama to remember Salman Abu Idrees, a 63-year-old who had been missing since mid-March. Images of Idrees' body showed his injuries -- including one that the source said was a rubber bullet in the stomach.

There was no indication whether government forces, including police, confronted or obstructed those demonstrating Friday. Bahraini government officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

The protests came the same day that Bahrain celebrated the World Motor Sport Council's decision to reinstate the Bahrain Grand Prix into the Formula One racing season.

Bahraini and racing officials lauded the return of the race as a sign of reconciliation, though signs that the turmoil is not over remained.

Wednesday's lifting of emergency laws, imposed in mid-March and allowing a crackdown on political leaders and journalists, is thought to be an effort to signal an end to months of unrest stemming from the Arab Spring, a wave of anti-government protests that started in Tunisia and have since roiled several countries in the Middle East and North Africa, including Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

Since the beginning of the turmoil in Bahrain, about 30 people have been killed, according to figures from the government, opposition figures and human rights groups. Opposition and human rights groups say more than 1,000 have been detained.

Even after the lifting of emergency laws, the government has continued its crackdown on the country's major Shiite political opposition movement.

The kingdom also filed charges against four top opposition leaders in a move that could weaken the country's Wefaq party, according to two opposition sources. This came as King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appealed for dialogue, saying that talks with opposition groups are scheduled to begin in July.

On Friday, Bahrain's longtime prime minister -- Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa -- and Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa met with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, according to a statement from the United Nations. The world body's leader called on Bahrain's government "to uphold international human rights norms ... and welcomed the commitment and assurances made by the Crown Prince in this regard."

Ban "welcomed the lifting of emergency laws and the decision ... to call for a national dialogue," the U.N. statement said. "He expressed hope that such a dialogue would be genuine, meaningful and inclusive and respond to the legitimate political, economic and social aspirations of all Bahraini people."

CNN's Jenifer Fenton contributed to this report.

CNN

Can Obama's Middle East Speech Aid Reform in Bahrain? (Time.com)

For weeks, Bahrain's Shi'ite-dominated opposition movement felt it had been suffering in a bubble. The occasional condemnation of the Sunni monarchy's repression would emerge from Washington, but little else. But as the regime began razing more Shi'ite mosques (more than 30 in the past three months), thundering words of support came from the very top of the American government. On Thursday, May 19, Barack Obama took on the rulers of the longtime U.S. ally (which plays host to the Fifth Fleet in the gulf), saying, "The only real way forward is for the government and opposition to engage in a dialogue, and you can't have a real dialogue when parts of the peaceful opposition are in jail."

Opposition leaders have criticized the U.S. for what they feel is a soft stance on violence perpetrated by the Bahraini government against activists. "Will the U.S. stop turning a blind eye to repression?" officials of the embattled opposition party al-Wefaq asked in a statement released earlier on Thursday. "Will the U.S. be more assertive in telling its friends the time has come to end repression? Will the U.S. encourage allies in the region to respond to genuine reform calls?" (See the new Tehran-Riyadh rivalry.)

Obama's remarks heartened opponents of the regime. "Democracy is democracy, and it has to apply to all countries, even those you consider as an ally or friend," says Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. He and other activists applauded the President's reminder that though Bahrain's government has said it is open to dialogue, it has also arrested most of the key opposition leaders who would act as intermediaries. An al-Wefaq official said he was "pleased" that the President had addressed the ongoing violence and hoped it would pave the way for talks between Shi'ite opposition officials and the ruling Sunni government.

Obama's calls for dialogue could strengthen the position of Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, a reformist who has consistently encouraged talks with antigovernment groups. Al-Khalifa is battling an internal split, with his reformists who call for dialogue losing out to extremists who have backed the vicious crackdowns that have left at least 25 Shi'ite protesters dead and more than 500 missing or in jail. "The Bahrain government's not presenting a united front at present," says Jane Kinninmont, a senior research fellow for the Middle East and North Africa at Chatham House. "It's clear that there are internal divisions. You can see Obama's speech as trying to strengthen the Crown Prince and the reformists in the government against the hard-liners." (See more on Obama's struggle to keep pace with situations in the Middle East.)

For the past few months, Bahrain's government has tried to pass itself off as a reformist party. However, its actions are far from conciliatory toward the opposition. The editor of the chief opposition newspaper, al-Wasat, is due to stand trial in a closed court. Ibrahim Sharif, the president of Bahrain's largest leftist party, has not been seen since a predawn arrest in March.

Meanwhile, Obama's condemnation of the destruction of Shi'ite mosques has left the regime feeling even more isolated. In a statement, Bahrain's Cabinet said it "welcomed" the principles contained in the speech and that the "door for dialogue was open ... and would remain so and hopes that the dialogue witnesses the participation of all to achieve a national consensus through constitutional establishments." Observers believe, however, that the divisions within the Sunni ruling class are likely to harden.

The only comfort the hard-liners in Bahrain can take is that, in his speech, the U.S. President very loudly left one country unmentioned: Saudi Arabia. Saudi troops have been helping Bahrain's security forces crack down on Shi'ite antigovernment activists since mid-March. That may be a way for them to rationalize continued repression.

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Bahrain court adjourns trial of protest activists (AP)

MANAMA, Bahrain – Bahrain's special security court on Monday adjourned until next week the trial of 21 opposition leaders and political activists, mostly Shiites, accused of plotting against the state.

The suspects — 14 in custody and the others charged in absentia — are accused of attempting to overthrow the 200-year-old Sunni dynasty and of having links to "a terrorist organization abroad." That is an apparent reference to Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, which Bahrain's rulers have claimed was involved in the strategic island kingdom's Shiite-led protests earlier this year.

Authorities are seeking to prosecute opposition leaders and others after months of clashes and protests in Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

The 21 accused are being tried in a special security court set up under martial law. Last month, the court sentenced four people to death for killing two policemen during the unrest.

Among those on trial are Hassan Mushaima, the leader of Al Haq movement. He was among the first opposition leaders arrested after emergency rule was declared in March to quell weeks of anti-government protests.

Mushaima returned from self-imposed exile in late February and immediately joined in street protests that were inspired by revolts against autocratic leaders in Tunisia and Egypt. He and fellow Haq member Abdul Jalil al-Singace were among 25 Shiite activists on trial last year on charges of trying to overthrow the nation's Sunni rulers.

Also on trial are Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, the country's most prominent human rights activist; Ibrahim Sharif, a key Sunni leader in the kingdom's Shiite-led opposition; and Ali Abdul Emam, a blogger and founder of a popular discussion forum Bahrain-On-Line.

The defendants have entered not guilty pleas. The trial resumes Sunday.

The Bahrain News Agency also said on Monday the court has agreed to end solitary confinement for opposition leaders detained following the military crackdown in March.

Bahrain's majority Shiites, who have long demanded a greater political voice and rights, dominated the protests that began in February. They comprise about 70 percent of Bahrain's population, but are excluded from top government and security posts.

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Iran, Bahrain in spat over 'spy ring'

Bahrain says the embassy official is linked to a Kuwaiti spy ringA few weeks ago, Kuwait also expelled three Iranian diplomatsRelations between Bahrain and Iran have been tenseManama claims Tehran is interfering in its internal affairs

(CNN) -- Iran threatened a tit-for-tat response Tuesday after Bahrain declared an Iranian embassy official in Manama persona non grata and gave him 72 hours to leave the country.

On Monday, Bahrain ordered Hujatullah Rahmani, the second secretary in the Iranian embassy, to leave because of his alleged links to a Kuwaiti spy ring, the Bahrain News Agency said.

Bahrain also said Iran should stop its "irresponsible behavior" and not interfere in the country's internal affairs, the news agency said.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast responded Tuesday, saying Bahrain's actions are "not based on realities."

The spokesman said Iran reserved the right to take retaliatory measures against Bahrain, Iran's state-run Press TV said.

Relations between the two countries have been tense in recent months as Bahrain contends with an anti-government movement that it said is being fueled by Tehran.

Young members of the country's Shiite Muslim majority have staged protests to complain about discrimination, unemployment and corruption -- issues they say the country's Sunni rulers have done little to address.

In a confidential report to the United Nations this week, Bahrain said the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah has been training opposition figures at its camps in Lebanon and Iran in an effort to destabilize the country's ruling family.

Both Iran and Hezbollah have previously denied involvement.

At the same time, Iran is also ensnared in a diplomatic tiff with Kuwait about the alleged spy ring.

A few weeks ago, Kuwait expelled three Iranian diplomats, claiming they were linked to a spy network operating out of the Iranian embassy in Kuwait City.

Kuwait claimed the alleged network aimed at gathering information about U.S. military facilities in Kuwait, according to a Press TV report.

Iran retaliated by expelling three Kuwait diplomats.

It also denied their diplomats were involved in spying, suggesting it was a U.S. plot intended to gain support for "the current crackdown on popular movements in the region," Press TV said.

The United States has operated military bases in Kuwait since American troops arrived there in 1991 in the battle to drive Saddam Hussein's invading Iraqi troops from the region.

CNN's Jenifer Fenton contributed to this report.

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Bahrain: Hezbollah aiding opposition

New: Opposition denies claims of outside helpBahrain's government claims Iranian-backed Hezbollah has been training opposition figures, report saysThe report details meetings between Hezbollah senior officials and Shiite opposition groupsBahrain's ruling Khalifa family is Sunni Muslim, while about two-thirds of the country are Shiite

Washington (CNN) -- The militant group Hezbollah is actively plotting with the opposition in Bahrain to overthrow the country's ruling family, the government said in a confidential report to the United Nations.

"Evidence confirms that Bahraini elements are being trained in Hezbollah camps specifically established to train assets from the Gulf," the report reads. Bahrain has long made claims that Iran and Hezbollah have sought to fuel instability in the nation.

In the report sent to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Bahrain's government claims Iranian-backed Hezbollah has been training opposition figures at its camps in Lebanon and Iran, in an effort to destabilize the Khalifa monarchy. The report also says the militant group has trained militants for activities in neighboring Gulf countries, according to diplomats who have reviewed it.

The government report urges the United Nations to curb Iran and Hezbollah's interference in the country.

Both Iran and Hezbollah have previously denied involvement in the protests. The Bahraini government has launched a violent crackdown against the protesters and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have deployed troops to Bahrain to support the regime.

The report details meetings between Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other senior officials of the group with members of Shiite organizations in Bahrain, such as al Wefaq, one of the country's major opposition parties and the banned al Haq group.

In the report, Bahrain alleges Shiite groups coordinated political strategy inside the country and used Hezbollah's television channel, al Manar to mobilize opposition protests.

Abdul-Jalil Khalil, an al Wefaq member of parliament, denied the claims.

"We believe the problem is a political issue and an internal issue and we have no support from the outside," he said, adding al Wefaq has no formal or informal relationship with Hezbollah and does not use al Manar to aid the movement.

"The movement is a peaceful movement," according to Khalil, who said al Wefaq is interested in serious political reform and not in overthrowing the ruling family.

Hassan Mushaimaa, the secretary general of Haq has been detained, and was unavailable to comment on the report.

Bahrain's ruling Khalifa family is Sunni Muslim, while about two-thirds of the country are Shiite.

The State Department has said it believes Iran's role in Bahrain has been minimal, and that the protests in Bahrain were the product of home-grown frustrations of the country's Shiia, who want greater economic and political participation.

The Obama administration has criticized the Bahraini crackdown and called for the government to enter into political dialogue with the opposition.

CNN's Jenifer Fenton contributed to this report

CNN

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