The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, expressed her deep concern over the incidents last week. The High Commissioner’s office also received reports of dead protesters under police custody.

In statements to Europa Press, Pillay said: “Independent investigations need to be conducted into the deaths under police custody and the torture accusations. The authorities must immediately cease their harassment and intimidation of human and political rights activists, and make sure that their fundamental, civil and political rights are enforced”.

The United Nations estimated that a thousand people are detained for taking part in the protests, even though the regime claims that there are only 400. Europa Press estimated that many of these arrests were carried out while the demonstrators were receiving medical assistance, after being injured in the demonstrations.

Meanwhile, the regime has already began the legal process against 21 activists, including leaders of the opposition of the country. Human Rights Watch says one of the accused is hospitalized after being brutally beaten up while he was detained. The regime denied once again the allegations and told the media that both the activists and the human rights groups could express freely in Bahrein, adding that they even had the support of the government to do that.

It also clarified that on June 1st the government will lift the state of emergency imposed in Bahrein, which coincides with the deadline to notify the organizers of the Formula 1 race if the competition will take place in the country this year.

Meanwhile, human rights groups are not the only critical voices of what is happening in Bahrein. The international public opinion is increasingly questioning the human rights violations perpetrated by the regime.

The Washington Post suggested in today’s edition that the US government, which is a firm ally of the Bahrein monarchy, should withdraw its Navy Fleet from the country.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mahmood/