Bahrain Mirror: Amnesty International strongly criticized US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson who will reportedly lift human rights conditions on an arms sale to Bahrain, despite that country's record of oppression against dissidents and participation in a Saudi-led coalition that has bombed thousands of civilians in Yemen.

Sunjeev Bery, an advocacy director with Amnesty International USA, made a statement in response, in which he stressed that "while getting weapons from the U.S., Bahrain's government is silencing critics at home and participating in a military coalition that is bombing civilians in Yemen."

"This deal sends a dangerous signal to Bahrain and all other countries that engage in serious human rights violations," he further stressed, noting that "it is particularly galling to arm these governments while simultaneously barring those fleeing violence entrance to the U.S."
Bery also noted that "these deals place the U.S. at risk of being complicit in war crimes, and discourage other countries, like Saudi Arabia, from addressing their own human rights records."

Arabic Version