From Associated Press:
Thousands rally in Bahrain ahead of auto race
April 4, 2014 2:59 PM EDT
MANAMA, Bahrain — Thousands have marched in the streets of Bahrain to voice their opposition to this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix auto race.
Witnesses say protesters Friday carried banners and chanted slogans against the government and the Formula One race, the tiny island kingdom’s biggest international event of the year. Practice runs for Sunday’s race went ahead amid tight security.
Groups of anti-government activists clashed with police following the largely peaceful rally outside the capital, Manama, hurling gasoline bombs and blocking roadways with tires.
Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. The country has witnessed more than three years of unrest following a Shiite-led uprising calling for reforms and greater political freedoms from the Sunni monarchy.
From the Bahrain Center for Human Rights:
4 April, 2014
Joint Statement – Bahrain: Bahrain Racing in Circles
Press freedom campaign launch timed to Formula One race in Bahrain
New York and Paris, April 3[tk], 2014—The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have launched a joint social media campaign calling on the Bahraini government to allow journalists to work freely during the Formula One Grand Prix race in Bahrain on April 6, 2014. Using the social media tool Thunderclap, the “Bahrain Racing in Circles” campaign participants will call for press freedom in Bahrain at the exact start of the Formula One race. As of April 2, the campaign had gained a potential audience of 2.6 million people, twice the population of Bahrain.
“It’s clear that it’s not only F1 cars that are racing circles in Bahrain, as we see the same cycle of protests, repression, and censorship every year,” said CPJ Middle East and North Africa Program Coordinator Sherif Mansour. “Every year, the Bahraini government hopes the roar of Formula One cars will drown out criticism of the regime’s human rights violations,” said Soazig Dollet, head of RSF’s Middle East and North Africa desk. “This year, we’re calling on everyone to join our F1 campaign to make sure that does not happen.”
CPJ and RSF have documented a consistent attempt by the Bahraini government to censor the press since the launch of a mass protest movement on February 14, 2011. Most recently, on March 26, freelance photographer Ahmed Humaidan was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on charges of attacking a police station in 2012. Humaidan was at the station to document the incident as part of his coverage of unrest in the country.
To get more information and to join the campaign, please visit the campaign website here.
### CPJ is an independent, nonprofit organization that works to safeguard press freedom worldwide.
Reporters Without Borders promotes and defends the freedom to be informed and to inform others throughout the worldMedia contacts:
New York, USA:
Samantha Libby
Communications Associate
Committee to Protect Journalists
slibby@cpj.org
212-300-9032. Ext 124Paris, France:
Soazig Dollet
Head of Middle East and North Africa Desk
Reporters Without Borders
Tel: 33 1 44 83 84 78
Email: moyen-orient@rsf.org
On the morning of the Grand Prix race which will take place today at 6pm in Sakhir; BCHR (Bahrain Center for Human Rights), BIRD (Bahrain Institute for Rights & Democracy) and BYSHR (Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights), note their concern for the growing violations against civilians in Bahrain: here.
Thousands Protest for Democracy in Bahrain: here.
Bahrain: Shooting Victim Sentenced to 15 Years; Attacker Enjoys Impunity: here.
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Dear Kitty. Some blog 
Fourth suicide in seven days
BY LAALA KASHEF ALGHATA , Posted on » Sunday, April 06, 2014
AN INDIAN man yesterday became the fourth person to commit suicide in Bahrain in the last seven days.
Jam Rajeesh, 40, was found hanging in a building under construction near the BBK Financial Mall in Adliya at around 8.30am yesterday.
He was discovered after people from neighbouring properties complained to police about the stench.
Police confirmed the grim discovery and said he died seven to 10 days ago.
Sources said the death was being treated as a suicide, but the case was still being investigating.
Indian Community Relief Fund chairman John Iype expressed concern about Bahrain’s continuing suicide rate, with seven so far this year.
“Many people are having problems with the family,” he said.
“Many are having a lot of stress in their life and are not willing to share it with anyone else, so finally they snap.
“They’re reluctant to tell their family what’s wrong because they want them to think they’re happy.
“There are demands from home.
“The most common are financial crisis and high demands.”
The GDN reported on Friday that 34-year-old Indian Naseer Anil was found hanging from the top of a stairwell at a residential building in Gudaibiya.
It came after a double suicide was discovered at a house in Muharraq on March 29.
Sri Lankan woman M Rasik Shyamila was found hanging from a ceiling fan in a room, while the body of Indian Mohammed Anvar Batherdeen was lying on the floor nearby.
A Saudi man, an Ethiopian woman and a Bahraini man have also killed themselves this year. At least 26 people, mainly low-income Asian workers, are known to have killed themselves last year. laala@gdn.com.bh
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=374316
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