Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry
Bahrain Television. Mr Al-Zayani agreed, but noted that other channels on
which Al Wefaq members appeared, such as Al-Manar, Al-Alam and
PressTV, were also one-sided. In response, Sheikh Ali Salman noted that Al
Wefaq members had resorted to those channels because they were not granted
access to Bahrain Television.
331. At 22:00, Mr Hassan Almeshaima arrived at the GCC Roundabout
where he was enthusiastically welcomed by the demonstrators. He gave a
short speech in which he commended the protesters for having mastered the
techniques of peaceful civil disobedience and encouraged them to learn from
the Egyptian experience how to escalate their demonstrations to increase
pressure on the GoB. Mr Almeshaima told protesters that they should exploit
the international media spotlight that was focused on Bahrain, and
congratulated them for their perseverance for the cause of freedom, which had
earned them the respect of international public opinion. He also encouraged
them to take further escalatory steps as long as they remained peaceful in
nature. Mr Almeshaima concluded his statement by reaffirming the
importance of maintaining national unity and rejecting calls for sectarianism
and civil discord because, in his view, the entire people of Bahrain were in
“one trench” against an oppressive regime.
Sunday, 27 February 2011
332. Demonstrations of various sizes continued throughout the day. The
most notable developments were the participation of large numbers of school
students in protests and a demonstration using a convoy of trucks on one of
the main highways of Manama.
333. Early in the morning, large numbers of students were reported to have
organised processions in the vicinity of their schools. According to some
estimates, 10 students demonstrated in the Al-Hokoma Road and around 40
students protested in Road 28 in Sanabis. Simultaneously, a larger gathering
of around 100 students from the Al-Naim High School in the Salmaniya
district was reported. At around noon, approximately 150 students from the
Sar Girls’ High School were reported to have organised a demonstration on
school grounds.
334. At around 16:00, a large demonstration of over 2,000 people moved
from the GCC Roundabout towards the King Faisal Highway. A number of
political figures attended the demonstration, which, like the demonstrations of
the previous day, was dominated by calls for the removal of the regime.
Demonstrators held large banners, one of which stated, “Shocking! The army
kills the citizens”, while another stated, “The square of martyrdom is the
symbol of bravery and pride”. Other demonstrators demanded the immediate
release of political prisoners, the resignation of the Prime Minister and the
cabinet, rejection of calls for political dialogue and a promise of further
escalation until the regime was removed.
335. Starting in the early afternoon, a large number of trucks of various
sizes began to gather in the Salmabad district. These trucks then drove as a
convoy towards the GCC Roundabout and its vicinity. By 17:00, the convoy
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