Kerry glosses over Bahrain’s human rights record
US Secretary of State John Kerry has praised Bahrain for what he calls Manama’s push for human rights in the country, glossing over the Persian Gulf monarchy’s years-long brutal crackdown against a popular uprising in the country.
Making the first visit to Bahrain by a top American official since the 2011 uprising, Kerry described the kingdom as a “critical security partner,” and praised the ruling Al Khalifah family for their “seriousness” in pushing human rights.
"Here, as in all nations, we believe that respect for human rights and an inclusive political system are essential," Kerry said on Thursday.
The top US diplomat however made no specific mention of the repression or discrimination against the country's Shia-majority and instead accused the opposition of “polarizing” the situation by boycotting the previous elections in 2014.
More than one hundred people have been killed in the 5-years-long demonstrations while hundreds more, including notable opposition figures, have been put behind bars for their involvement in the uprising.
The Al Khalifah regime has ignored international calls for political reform.
Before the trip, Kerry found himself under fire from human rights groups who demanded a tougher US stance with regards to Bahrain’s heavy-handed suppression of anti-regime protesters.
They also urged Kerry to hold separate meetings with opposition leaders, but no such meetings were scheduled.
Kerry was set to meet with his counterparts from the six-nation [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council ([P]GCC) to arrange a summit between President Barack Obama and Persian Gulf leaders in Saudi Arabia which is scheduled for the next month.
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