Bahrain Mirror: Human Rights First said it is alarmed at news that leading Bahraini opposition figure Ibrahim Sharif has been arrested, apparently for a series of social media posts criticizing the Bahraini government and its participation in a coalition led by the United States in the Gulf of Aden.

Brian Dooley, Senior Advisor at Human Rights First, urged the Biden administration to immediately and publicly call for any charges against him for these posts to be dropped.

"Sharif has a strong international reputation as a peaceful voice of dissent, and his arrest is another intimidating act against anyone who criticizes the ruling family," Dooley noted.

He added "We have documented for many years how the Bahraini authorities have targeted Sharif and other opposition leaders, and how Washington's response has too often been muted."

Human Rights First has documented human rights violations in Bahrain since the 2011 uprising and recommended how the United States government should be more vocal in its criticism of abuses by its military ally and unelected dictatorship in Bahrain.

Arabic Version