Germany Unaware Of Ongoing Torture In Bahrain Despite AI Report

Berlin, April 18, IRNA -- The German government here Wednesday alleged it was unaware of any ongoing torture in Bahrain despite the release of an Amnesty International (AI) report which pointed to continued massive human rights violations in the Persian Gulf kingdom. German deputy foreign spokesman Martin Schaefer told the press in Berlin he had no own independent information of any ongoing torture in Bahrain. Schaefer's remarks come only a day after a 58-page AI report slammed the al-Khalifa regime for still breaching human rights in that country. 'With the world's eyes on Bahrain as it prepares to host the (Formula One) Grand Prix, no one should be under any illusions that the country's human rights crisis is over,' said Amnesty's Middle East and North Africa deputy director, Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui. 'The authorities are trying to portray the country as being on the road to reform, but we continue to receive reports of torture and use of unnecessary and excessive force against protests,' Sahraoui said, adding that so far, 'reforms have only scratched the surface.' The London-based watchdog said also Bahraini authorities 'have failed to provide justice for victims of human rights violations.' Germany has repeatedly refused to openly condemn the government repression in Bahrain, saying merely it was 'concerned' about the situation in that country. German-based Bahraini pro-democracy activists have harshly lashed out at what they see as Berlin's 'shameful silence' over Manama's ongoing security clampdown. Germany was among several western governments which did not issue an explicit condemnation of Manama's use of violence and intimidation in last year's protests, as Saudi Arabia sent more than 1,000 troops into Bahrain to help the al-Khalifa regime quell the protest movement that started in February 2011 asking for democratic reforms. The western refusal to condemn massive human rights abuses committed by Bahraini security forces while condemning similar abuses in Libya and Yemen has undermined any credibility it had with Bahrainis. International human right groups have time and again complained that the West has kept mum amid reports that Bahrain's Sunni-led government is waging a violent and bloody crackdown — destroying Shiite mosques, illegally detaining and torturing dissidents, attacking medical personnel to prevent them from treating wounded protesters, abusing women and girls,and expelling media representatives from the country./end