Protests in Bahrain after Martyrdom of Activist

Local Editor

A Bahraini man was martyred on Friday from shotgun pellet wounds sustained during clashes with police almost two months ago, rights activists said.
He became the first person to be killed in such circumstances since February last year.

Rights campaigners said Abdul-Aziz al-Abbar, 27, was hit by a teargas canister and shotgun pellets fired by riot police at a funeral procession. It is not uncommon for police in Bahrain to attack funerals.

One pellet penetrated Abbar's brain and another his eye and he was in a coma in hospital until his death, his family said.

"Al-Abbar has been martyred today [Friday], after police directly shot his head on February 23," said the main opposition al-Wefaq on its Twitter feed.
Another group, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, said: "Initial reports indicate that the shooting of Abbar was by police officers standing at close range."

Hassan, Abbar's cousin, told Reuters the death certificate said his cousin died from brain damage and blood flow problems, without specifying what caused this.
"We have refused to receive the body until we get an official report that Abdul-Aziz died from shotgun pellets," he said.

In response, people have taken to streets across Bahrain to protest against the al- Khalifa regime following the death of an anti-regime protester.

Friday's protest, dubbed "The Demands Remain," followed the death al-Abbar.
In Abbar's hometown, the village of Sanabis which is situated in the west of the capital Manama, police used force against the demonstrators to put an end to the protest.
In the village of Daih, also in the west of the capital, protesters chanted slogans against violations committed by the ruling al-Khalifa family.

Sheikh Ali Salman, the head of al-Wefaq, was also seen among the crowd at a protest in the village of Salmabad, southwest of Manama.

Similar demonstrations were also held in the eastern island of Sitra.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team