Second protestor shot in Bahrain as riots continue
By Ria Novosti
One person was killed and about 25 injured on Tuesday as Egypt-inspired protests in rural towns continued in the outskirts of the Bahraini capital Manama, Al-Jazeera reported.
On Monday, several people were injured and one killed in clashes with security forces during the “Day of Rage” demonstration to demand political reforms.
Tensions escalated on Tuesday as thousands gathered for the funeral procession of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima, 27, who died on Monday during protests after being reportedly shot at close range in the back with birdshot.
The crowd chanted “Kill 10, kill 100, we want our civil rights!” and “Mother, prepare my coffin, I am going out to free my country!”
As the funeral procession carried the body to the burial site, police intervened, using teargas and pellets against the crowd, and killed 31-year-old Fadhel Matrook.
“This morning the protesters were walking from the hospital to the cemetery and were attacked by riot police,” Maryam Alkhawaja, head of foreign relations at the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, told Al Jazeera.
“Thousands of people are marching in the streets, demanding the removal of the regime – police fired teargas and birdshot, using excessive force – that is why people got hurt,” the human rights activist added.
Alkhawaja wrote in her Twitter account that the situation at the cemetery with the mourners is relatively calm at the moment, but a helicopter is hovering overhead.
Bahrain, a strategic U.S. ally and home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, is ruled by a Sunni monarch. About 75% of its population are Shiites who complain about discrimination from the ruling Sunni minority.
