MANAMA, 11 December 2004 — Hundreds of Bahrainis took to the streets of Manama on the International Human Rights Day yesterday calling for more political freedom in the country.
A walkathon between the two Muharraq bridges in the afternoon and an hour-long sit-in protest in front of the UN office in Manama were organized by nine organizations including the dissolved Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
The protesters also urged authorities to call off proposed legislation that could restrict freedoms. A statement issued by the protest organizers said the authorities were rushing to issue new legislation to restrict public freedoms. It accused the executive branch of taking the legislative branch as a cover to pass laws such as the Political Societies Law and the Public Gatherings Law, both of which are unconstitutional and violate international legitimacy and human rights.
The Bahrain Human Rights Society organized the walkathon between the two Manama-Muharraq Bridges. People of different nationalities and all age groups took part in the five-mile run.
to mark the anniversary of the International Day for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
