Bahrain Boycotts Country’s Reconciliation Talks, Protest Crackdown

Local Editor

Bahrain's main opposition groups have boycotted country's national reconciliation talks to protest against the crackdown in the Persian Gulf kingdom.

On Wednesday, Jamil Kazem, a spokesman for several Bahraini opposition groups led by al-Wefaq bloc, said that in the absence of positive reforms and harsh crackdown the groups have decided to boycott the talks this week.
Bahraini regime hasnd almost two years of popular uprising that has gripped the country.

Numerous rounds of talks have failed to heal the rifts between the opposition and the Manama regime since the beginning of anti-regime protests in Bahrain.

This comes as a Bahraini court, on Sunday, handed 50 Shias prison terms of up to 15 years for allegedly forming an opposition group known as the "February 14 Revolution Youth Coalition" in the Persian Gulf kingdom.
Bahraini authorities accuse the anti-regime group of involvement in ‘terrorism' acts.

Amnesty International (AI) has condemned the imprisonment of Shia activists in Bahrain, saying, "The authorities simply slap the label 'terrorist' on defendants, and then subject them to all manner of violations to end up with a 'confession'."

Source: News Agencies