11th April 2013

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

FIA must take clear stance on Bahrain, says Hill
Former world champion Damon Hill has called on Formula One's governing body, the FIA, to take a stance and address concerns within the sport about next week's Bahrain Grand Prix. Hill, Britain's 1996 champion who is now a television pundit, supported last year's race after initially urging the authorities to reconsider holding it while the country was in the grip of civil unrest and violent protest. Hill, speaking ahead of this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix at a brieng in London organised by British opposition Labour parliamentarian Richard Burden, told F1 reporters he still had reservations and was concerned for the sport's reputation. Read More

Formula One: Hill wants FIA to take stance on Bahrain

Former world champion Damon Hill wants FIA president Jean Todt to take an ethical stance over the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix, amid claims of an upsurge in the detention of opposition protesters in the run up to the race.

With just over a week until the race in the Gulf, the Bahrain government and Human Rights Watch (HRW) are in dispute over claims a crackdown has taken place in recent weeks against protesters. In 2011 the Grand Prix was cancelled after violent clashes between police and anti-government demonstrators resulted in a number of deaths. Read More to halt the Bahrain GP which went ahead even as nearby streets were blocked with burning tires and trash. Protests in Bahrain started in February 2011 spurred by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. But demonstrations in Bahrain failed to gain the traction of other Arab Spring uprisings after a crackdown by authorities in the island state. Read More disaster for both F1 and the country's authorities. Almost everyone in the paddock did not want to be there, but the race still took place against a background of pro-democracy demonstrations, with stones and petrol bombs being thrown, while riot police red teargas and birdshot and beat opposition activistsHill, who now works as a Sky Sports F1 analyst, was one of the few people in the sport to question the wisdom of the race taking place a year ago. Read More

Damon Hill: Bahrain should not hold grand prix as it could be used as a political tool
The question is whether Formula One going to Bahrain would be enabling or furthering brutal repression, by appearing to endorse the treatment being meted out, he said. There is a perception that the sport is being used.

Hills remarks, during a security brieng at Portcullis House, add to concerns in Westminster over the tinderbox political situation in Bahrain. Last years race was marred by scores of protests near the circuit, including a petrolbomb attack on Force India mechanics, and trouble has ared again in recent days with Molotov cocktails being thrown at government headquarters. Read More

Protests threaten to overshadow Bahrain Grand Prix again

The Bahrain Grand Prix is threatening to overshadow the Formula One season for a third year running as the kingdom's government and leading human rights organisations dispute the recent arrests of up to 70 people. In 2012 days of antigovernment protests failed

Bahraini Authorities Swoop on Villages Ahead of Formula One Grand Prix

Bahraini authorities have launched a crackdown on opposition activists ahead of next weekend's Formula 1 Grand Prix, with local sources reporting increased house raids and arbitrarily detention of protesters.

Groups of police ofcers disguised as civilians have carried out night-time and dawn raids in the villages around the motor racing circuit "to spread fear and force silence among citizens" and thus "minimise protests and any media coverage of the continuous violations" by the Bahraini authorities during the race, according to theBahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR). Read More

Damon Hill challenges FIA president Jean Todt to clarify Bahrain stance
The former world champion Damon Hill has challenged Jean Todt, the president of Formula One's ruling body the FIA, to make his position clear on the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix in April. Last year's Bahrain race was a public relations

Bahrain Grand Prix: Tensions Rising As Pro-Democracy Activists Clash With Security Forces (PHOTOS)
Tension in Bahrain is rising again as the country prepares for next weekend's Grand Prix, 12 months after Formula One caused a worldwide furore by staging a race in the Gulf kingdom. As the Bahrain International Circuit announced that

ticket sales for the race, to be held on 21 April, were 'ying', other reports from the country were raising concerns over the increased number of raids on activist homes and detentions as the country's authorities cracked down on protesters pressing for political reforms. Human Rights Watch, which has been monitoring events in Bahrain, said local sources claimed the security forces had been conducting night time and dawn raids in towns around the race circuit. Read More According to the Human Rights Watch (HRW), the detentions were made without a warrant and with the apparent intention of preventing a repeat of protests during last year's race, which went ahead despite protestors burning tyres and riot police ring teargas at them inShiite villages, the Gulf News reports. Read More

Hill: F1 'could be making things worse' in Bahrain

Damon Hill has called on FIA president Jean Todt to take an ethical stance with regard to the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix. A week ahead of the latest visit to the Gulf island, the government and Human Rights Watch (HRW) are in dispute over claims a crackdown has taken place

in recent weeks against protesters. In 2011 the race was cancelled after violent clashes between police and anti-government demonstrators resulted in a number of deaths. Last year the grand prix went ahead, but against an ugly backdrop as police responded to protesters throwing petrol bombs with the use of tear gas, sound bombs and birdshot. Read More Last year, members of Sauber and Force India were caught up in a dangerous crossre as Molotov cocktails were thrown by anti-government protestors at police. Organisers have told SunSport they expect the race to go ahead as planned and boasted about advance ticket sales, while F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone also insists he has no concerns. Read More

MP claims Bahrain GP will not be safe

FORMULA ONE teams have been told they could be in danger if they attend the controversial Bahrain Grand Prix. The warning comes from MP Richard Burden, while former world champion Damon Hill has demanded the sports governing body break their silence over the race, which is due to go ahead a week on Sunday.

Human rights group alleges arrest of 20 protestors before Bahrain Grand Prix
An international human rights group has alleged that police in Bahrain had arrested 20 protestors from towns near Bahrain's F1 circuit in a sign of rising political tension ahead of the Grand Prix from April 19-21.

F1 : Hill concerned about 2013 Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix race amid civil strife
Hill concerned about Formula 1's return to Bahrain - A week before Formula One's most controversial annual race, Damon Hill has expressed concerns about the latest reports coming from Bahrain.

The island Kingdom's government has denied reports it has in recent days been detaining potential protesters of the Bahrain Grand Prix in arbitrary house to house raids. 1996 world champion Hill, a regular and rare outspoken voice from the Formula 1 paddock on the issue of Bahrain's civil situation, admitted the latest reports are a concern. Read More

Manchester United Risk Row Over Denis Law's Bahrain Visit

Manchester United have run the risk of a political row after it emerged club legend Denis Law would be visiting Bahrain to attend the Reds's latest soccer school. Strife in the Gulf kingdom has intensied ahead of next week's Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix, cancelled in 2011 but

staged last year despite security concerns, while United are at the centre of a human rights storm following allegations a doctor was tortured for raising the country's issues with the Premier League champions-elect. Dr Fatima Haji had been beaten and electrocuted for supposedly asking the club to hold a minute's silence for 15-year-old Ahmad Shams, who was shot dead in the 2011 Spring uprising wearing a United shirt. Read More

minutes silence for a teenage boy killed in the 2011 uprising.

Manchester United risk political row over Denis Law's Bahrain visit
As Law prepares to attend Manchester Uniteds latest Soccer School in Manama, the Bahraini capital, the New York-based organisation Human Rights First claimed yesterday that Dr Fatima Haji had been beaten and electrocuted by security forces after she asked the Premier League leaders if they would hold a

Laws daughter Diana, the former United head of press, told Telegraph Sportlast night that she was worried by the claims and would be seeking further reassurance about her fathers visit, which comes amid heightened tensions in the country ahead of next Sundays Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix. Last years race was marred by scores of anti-government demonstrations. Read More

Bahrain national talks at standstill

A national dialogue aiming to break a two-year political deadlock in Bahrain appeared at a standstill with two political coalitions pressing for the adoption of their views to be able to move on. The opposition coalition has turned down all the proposals to move the dialogue forward, Ahmad Juma, the spokesperson for Al Fateh coalition, an

umbrella for ten political societies, said. We need to reinvigorate the dialogue, but the opposition continues to stall it by insisting on the representation of the ruler, even though we have already settled this issue, he said at the end of the 11th round of talks. The opposition has called for having a representative of the king at the talks to ensure its validity and the implementation of the outcome. Read More

Deplorable Bahraini Human Rights Abuses Continue

In summer 2010, sporadic protests began. In midFebruary 2011, major ones erupted. Bahrainis want democracy. They want King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa alKhalifs repressive regime replaced. They rally courageously. They defy government diktats. They brave

beatings, tear gas, rubber bullets, live re, arrests, torture and disappearances. They persist. They refuse to back down. They want freedom replacing police state terror. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) promotes civil, political and economic freedom, ending racial discrimination, disseminating human rights culture, and protecting victims rights. Read More