http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/04/17/10206184.html
04/17/2008 12:16 AM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: A human rights activist has condemned the killing last week of a policeman in an arson attack, saying that protesters should be aware of the consequences of their actions.
Nabeel Rajab, vice-president of the dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, warned that unless the Bahraini government and protestors seriously reflected on their policies and practices, the killing would be “a dangerous sign of things to come”.
http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/04/17/10206184.html
04/17/2008 12:16 AM | By Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama: A human rights activist has condemned the killing last week of a policeman in an arson attack, saying that protesters should be aware of the consequences of their actions.
Nabeel Rajab, vice-president of the dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, warned that unless the Bahraini government and protestors seriously reflected on their policies and practices, the killing would be “a dangerous sign of things to come”.
“We condemn the use of violence which according to official reports led to the death of a 24-year-old policeman, and the injury of his two colleagues,” Rajab said in a statement sent to Gulf News.
‘Review policies’
“The killing of the policeman was wrong, and should be dealt with according to fair and independent principles of law.
“As human rights activists we cannot support such an action and call on protesters to cease any violent attacks on human beings, and to consider the meaning and consequences of such actions. At the end of the day, it is a detriment to the validity of their cause,” he said. Rajab said while protesters “must carefully consider the outcome of their actions, and the method of protest they choose”, the government should also review its policies.
“The violent situation has been developing for a long time in Bahrain, and this incident has shown that it is necessary to examine how it reached this terrible stage.
“The government must realise that putting those responsible for this act on trial is not enough to resolve the situation at this point. They must also explore the factors which have contributed to such hatred and violence towards security forces,” Rajab said.
Bahrain has witnessed sporadic violence since rioters and the police clashed in December during a rally. The death of 31-year-old demonstrator Ali Jassem from inhaling tear gas, according to the Interior Ministry, has compounded the standoff.
Majid Asghar Ali, the policeman, died on April 9 after masked protestors hurled Molotov cocktails at his car patrolling a village where tension was high following an arson attack in February on a farm belonging to a senior security officer.
