Manama: Bahrain has banned all rallies and public gatherings until authorities are able to restore relative stability in terms of the public security situation, the interior minister declared.
“All rallies and gatherings have been suspended and no public activity will be allowed until security and stability are achieved,” Shaikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa said. “The aim is to preserve national unity and the social fabric and to prevent any form of extremism from any side,” he said in a statement.
“Rallies and gatherings will be considered illegal and legal action will be taken against anyone calling for or taking part in them,” Shaikh Rashid said. He said the government had earlier allowed rallies and gatherings since it accorded great importance to freedom of opinion and expression but blatant violations and a lack of commitment on the part of participants in public protests to rules and regulations had forced it to temporarily ban public meetings.
“There have been calls to overthrow the regime and slogans against the icons of the regime and the sovereignty of the state. The lack of respect and the open insults threatened social peace and public order and they cannot be tolerated under any conditions,” Shaikh Rashid said.
The minister said that rallies and gatherings were associated with violence and acts of sabotage against public and private property that constituted a serious threat to the safety of nationals and expatriates. “The acts of violence have also stirred the anger of several segments of the Bahraini society who have expressed their exasperation and sought an end to the abuses that threatened to have a negative impact on social stability,” he said.
“The Interior Ministry has exerted strenuous efforts to tackle the violations through coordinating on numerous occasions with the rally organisers, but they often failed to control the activities or to end the legal abuses despite their pledges,” he said.
