Bahraini authorities have arrested 20 opposition activists ahead of the international Grand Prix race April 21. The arrests stem from ongoing protests, at times drawing hundreds of thousands of Bahraini citizens calling for a transition to democracy and an end to the Al-Khalifa government — a Sunni monarchy that has ruled the country since 1783.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) published a response to the recent arrests, claiming that the government made them “without a warrant and with the apparent intention of preventing a repeat of the protests that took place during last year’s race.”
Information Minister Sameera Rajab responded to the HRW allegations, saying, “We discredit any news of such arrests in recent days or even months,” he said. “Nobody could be arrested without a warrant. This doesn’t happen in Bahrain. If there is any action against peace and security, it must be dealt with according to law.”
Protesters have been targeting the Grand Prix for two years, because it is a major sports spectacle watched by millions across the world. Protesters gathered peacefully last Friday to demand the event be canceled and to call for the release of Nabeel Rajab, the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
Rajab has been in prison since August 2012, serving three years for what the Al-Khalifa government calls “illegal” protest organizing.
The 2011 Grand Prix was canceled because of widespread protests, drawing more than 100,000 protesters in the days before the event was scheduled to take place. Thirty-five people were killed in a brutal crackdown against the pro-democracy protests, as a coalition of Bahraini and Saudi Arabian troops sought to quell the uprising. Protesters claim 80 have been killed since the outbreak of protests more than two years ago.
Protests continued but have waned significantly since that time. Despite smaller ongoing protests, last year’s Grand Prix took place without interruption amidst a chorus of criticism from human rights organizations and several of the drivers competing in the race.
The U.S. continues to be a major pillar of support for the Al-Khalifa regime, providing $11.3 million in direct foreign assistance in 2013. Washington is also engaged in robust arms sales to Bahrain, selling more than $51 million worth of weapons, ammunition and supplies in 2011 that Bahraini citizens believe is being used to suppress protests.
Further providing support is The Fifth Fleet of the U.S. Navy stationed in Manama, Bahrain’s capital.