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"Day of Rage"
Anti-government "Day of Rage" inspired by popular upheavals in Egypt and Tunisia. Helicopters circled over Manama on Monday where demonstrators had been due to gather but which
remained quiet as security forces patrolled Shia areas. Clashes in Shia villages near the capital left more than 20 people hurt, one protester is killed. Police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse marchers in the mostly Shia village of Newidrat in the southwest. -
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A year in the news: Bahrain
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Bahrain’s main opposition withdraws
Bahrain’s main opposition withdraws from parliament in protest after troop fire on mourners at the funeral for pro-democracy protester shot dead a day earlier. Thousands of protesters set up tents on Pearl roundabout in Manama. There were a dozen tents and activists handed out blankets, food and water. Protesters organized a lost-and-found service and said one tent would supply medical services. Others collected garbage and helped keep traffic flowing. -
Bahrain police storm Pearl Roundabout
Four people were killed in an early-morning raid by security forces on Pearl Square, the focal point of anti-government demonstrations in Bahrain, sparking street battles with riot police. Armoured trucks were sent in to central Manama and key roads were blocked by security forces. At 3.15am, firing teargas and birdshot, and wielding clubs and used to cut through tents set up by demonstrators. Dozens of wounded protesters were being taken to hospitals across the city on Thursday morning. -
Soldiers open fire at protesters
Security forces once again opened fire on anti-government protesters as thousands gathered in the streets. At least one person was killed and dozens injured when soldiers open fire as hundred of protesters March towards Pearl roundabout, the scene of violent clashes a day earlier. -
Bahrain cancels Formula One race
Bahrain cancels Formula One motor race due to have been held on March 13. The Bahrain Grand Prix had to officially cancel after Jean Todt, the president of the FIA, motor racing's governing body, and Bernie Ecclestone, the sport's commercial rights holder, found themselves at odds over the event that had been rescheduled for October. -
Clashes between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims
Tensions turn into clashes between Sunni and Shi'ite Muslims, the first direct confrontation between the two communities since February's large-scale protests. The bitter, bloody feud between the two branches of Islam, the Sunnis and the Shi’ites, has gone on for centuries and the vicious sectarian strife started exploding again in Bahrain, threatening to cause an even greater conflict in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and Iran. -
Demonstrators overwhelm police
Saudi Arabia movies to bolster Bahrain’s embattled royal family sending around 1,000 Saudi troops across the causeway linking the two kingdoms after violent weekend pro-democracy protests by demonstrators who overwhelmed police and road blocks. Those barricades were still up on Monday, with protesters checking cars at the entrance to the Pearl roundabout, the focal point of weeks of protests. On the other side, police set up a roadblock preventing any cars moving from the airport. -
Streets of Bahrain’s capital erupt in violence
The streets of Bahrain's capital, Manama, have again erupted in violence as the kingdom's besieged monarch declared martial law and ordered troops - including Saudi forces - to take all measures to quell a festering rebellion. The clashes had been anticipated since more than 1,000 troops from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states arrived in Bahrain on Sunday, after being invited by the ruling dynasty to help restore order. -
Bahraini forces crack down on protesters
Bahraini forces crack down on protesters, clearing hundreds from the camp that had become their symbol. -- Military imposes a curfew across most parts of Manama and bans all public gatherings across the island state. -
Security forces arrest six key opposition member
Security forces in Bahrain arrest six key opposition members whom they accused of having contact with ‘foreign agents’. Several were accused of incitement to murder. They include Hassan Musaima and Abdul Jalil al-Sangaece, who had been jailed for allegedly plotting to overthrow the monarchy but had been freed in February as part of an amnesty designed to build trust. -- Britons are urges to leave Bahrain. -
Hub of rebellion destroyed
The hub of Bahrain’s rebellion is destroyed under government orders as the country’s embattled leaders intensify moves to crush the reformist movement. The giant white monument in the middle of Pearl Roundabout was brought down during Friday afternoon and the mound of grass that had been home for most of the last six weeks to thousands of demonstrators is now a pile of brown dirt. -
Crown prince committed to reform
Bahrain's crown prince, Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, widely seen as a moderate, said in a statement he was committed to the reform path and said the Gulf state would listen to both domestic and international concerns. But warns there will be "no leniency" for those who try to divide the kingdom. -
Prominent human rights activist accused of tampering
Bahrain's most prominent human rights activist was summoned for questioning by a military prosecutor, after being accused of tampering with photographs of a man who died in custody last week. Nabeel Rajab, the head of the Bahrain centre for human rights was accused of posting a "fabricated image" of a detainee on his Twitter account. Nabeel said that the image of the body covered with bruises and gashes, was genuine. -
Plainly clothed but armed attack
In a graphic eyewitness account of the repression given to The Observer, a Bahraini who had been caught up in the violence claimed that officers with Saudi accents, in plainclothes but armed with automatic weapons, had led attacks on members of the Shi'ite opposition on several occasions over the past month. New arrests and the alleged death of a female student fuel sectarian tensions, prompting fears of a fresh bout of violent repression. -
Attacks and arrests on medical workers
Bahraini authorities have conducted a systematic campaign of attacks and arrests against medical workers who treated injured protesters during the months of unrest in the Gulf kingdom, according to the US-bases medical group Physicians for Human Rights. -
Anti-government protesters are sentenced to death
Four anti-government protesters are sentenced to death by a military court over the killing of two policemen when violence erupted in Manama the previous month. The ruling means the four men could be the first to face a firing squad in Bahrain since 2007. It has dismayed human rights activists who claim the men did not receive a fair trial -
Bahrain’s oil company sacks 300 employees
Energy minister says that a Bahrain’s oil company has sacked almost 300 employees for taking part in anti-government protests and general strikes in recent weeks. -
King calls for talks on reform
Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa called for talks on reform involving all parties in the Gulf Arab state "without preconditions" from July 1. The offer comes as the government prepares on Wednesday to lift a state of emergency imposed in March to restore order and break up a pro-democracy . -
Bahrain lifts state of emergency
Bahrain has lifted the state of emergency imposed in March to quell pro-democracy demonstrations. Activists have called for protests to restart, but security measures remain in place to stop large gatherings. -
Bahrain grand prix granted permission
Bahrain has been granted permission to stage the most coveted event on its calendar, the Formula One Grand Prix, in a move that has drawn condemnation from human rights groups angered by a three-month crackdown against anti-regime protesters. The event will be held in October.It had been originally scheduled for March but was postponed as clashes intensified between Bahrain's majority Shia population and the Gulf kingdom's security forces, heavily backed by the forces of Saudi Arabia and other -
47 doctors and nurses go on trial
47 doctors and nurses who have been held since March go on trial today in a security court. The medics treated injured anti-government protesters during the unrest and are accused of participating in efforts to overthrow the monarchy. More than 20 people were killed during the government's campaign to stifle the demonstrations. Two people have been sentenced to death for their part in the protests. Four have died in police custody. -
10,000 people attend rally
Thousands of Bahrainis shouting "we are victorious" gathered for a rally for political reform, in the first large demonstration since the Gulf Arab state crushed a democracy protest movement in March. Up to 10,000 people attended the rally. The government said it granted permission for the rally, held in a large square in the Shi'ite district of Saar, west of the capital and away from central Pearl Roundabout, epicenter of the earlier protests inspired by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt. -
Bahrain Grand Prix off
Formula 1's governing body the FIA has confirmed that the Bahrain Grand Prix will not be part of the 2011 programme. The race, originally scheduled for 13 March, was called off in February after more than 30 lives were lost during pro-democracy protests in the country. Earlier this month, it was reinstated and rescheduled for 30 October. But teams objected on logistical grounds and F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone was forced to come up with another calendar with Bahrain removed. -
Bahain’s king orders fact-finding mission
Bahain’s king orders an independent fact-finding mission to establish whether protesters’ human rights were abused during a violent crackdown on anti-government unrest. He says he is committed to reform but blames protesters for the ‘state of chaos’. "We still need to look at what happened to know all the details of February and March and evaluate those events as they really were," the king said. The commission will be "completely independent and will consist of international experts." -
Talks between opposition and pro-government groups begins
Talks between opposition and pro-government groups begins with aim of healing deep rifts opened during the protests. In all, there are 300 participants in the dialogue and just 35 of them are from opposition. The opposition has expressed doubts about whether the national dialogue, decreed by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, can accomplish anything, noting that it only has 35 of the 300 seats at the bargaining table. -
Views not being taken seriously
Al Wefaq pulled out of the talks last Sunday, complaining that its views were not being taken seriously and that it was not fairly represented. It has criticized dialogue officials for only giving political opposition groups 35 out of 300 seats at the talks. The government said it distributed seats in a way that fairly represented all of Bahraini society, including delegates from the government, opposition groups, unions, women’s societies and other professionals. -
Bahrain criticises decision to boycott
Bahrain's Sunni-led government criticised a decision by the main Shi'ite opposition group to boycott parliamentary elections, saying the move would not help foster democracy in the Gulf Arab kingdom. Wefaq, said it would not take part in the September 24 elections to fill nearly half of the parliament’s 40 seats vacated when its deputies resigned over a crackdown on anti-government protests. -
Jailed Bahraini activist go on hunger strike
More than 100 jailed Bahraini activist - including doctors who treated the injured protestors - are on hunger strike, an international panel says Hundreds of activists have been imprisoned and over 30 killed in Shia-led demonstrations. The Bahrain independent commission of inquiry said 84 opposition supporters have been on hunger strike for nine days in prison, while 17 detainees were sent to hospital by the interior ministry after refusing to eat. -
Shi'ite majority boycotts polls
Fewer than one in five voters cast ballots in the by-elections as Shia majority boycotts polls in protest against crackdown. Wefaq, the mainly Shi'ite and largest opposition party, walks out of 18 seats. In 14 districts, only 25,130 voters of a total 144,513 came out to vote, representing a 17.4 percent turnout, according to figures published on the government’s elections website. Voting did not take place in four districts where candidates ran uncontested and automatically won the seat. -
Medics jailed between five and 15 years
Twenty Bahraini medics who treated activists wounded during anti-government protests were jailed for between five and 15 years in sentences that were immediately denounced by medical bodies and human rights groups around the world. The sentences were handed down by a military court set up to handle the trials. All of the accused were charged with committing crimes against the state, during an uprising they insist was peaceful and popularly inspired. -
Retrials for 20 medics
Bahrain's public prosecutor ordered a retrial of 20 Shi'ite medics jailed by a security court for up to 15 years on charges related to a month of pro-democracy protests. The medics all worked at the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama. They included 13 doctors, one dentist, nurses and paramedics. -
17-year-old is hit by a birdshot
A 17-year-old dies in hospital after being hit by a birdshot when riot police and demonstrators clashed. On 6 October 2011 after reportedly being hit in chest, abdomen and upper limb by bird pellet gunshots fired by Bahraini security forces Ahmed Jaber al-Qattan is killed. The funeral procession was held in the afternoon of 7 October. Security forces set up roadblocks to prevent people from attending the funeral, yet thousands of people attended the funeral. -
Five groups show of unity
In a defiant show of unity, Bahrain opposition parties have jointly denounced the Sunni-ruled Gulf Arab island as a police state and demanded a transition to a constitutional monarchy. Five groups, including the main Shi'ite party Wefaq and the secular Waad party, vowed to keep up a pro-democracy campaign with peaceful rallies and marches -- despite a Saudi-backed government crackdown that crushed similar protests in March. -
Death of Crown Prince
The crown prince was King Abdullah's half-brother and first in line to the Saudi throne has died. He was in his eighties and was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2004. He is thought to have died at a New York hospital. Prince Sultan had been on a visit to the US for medical tests, and he had an operation in New York in July. The royal court confirmed the death in a statement carried out by the SPA (State News Agency). -
Second trial begins for medics
Second trial begins for the 20 hospital staff following the UN criticism of convictions for protest-related charges. -
Security forces used excessive power to suppress rallies
A government-appointed fact-finding commission of international lawyers reports that Bahrain's security forces used excessive power to suppress pro-democracy rallies, including torture and coerced confessions. -- It says 3,000 people were detained, over 4,000 lost their jobs, and hundreds were maltreated in detention. -
Weapons produced at court proof of involvement
Bahraini medical staff accused of trying to overthrow the exonerated them but prosecutors claim weapons produced at new court hearing are proof of involvement. Twenty staff from the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama had thought their ordeal might be ending on Monday after the release of last week's report detailing human rights abuses by Bahrain's security forces during the Pearl revolution in February. But prosecutors produced weapons and claimed this was proof enough against the doctors. -
David Cameron meets King
Mr Cameron met King Hamad Al-Khalifa during talks at Downing Street, on the king's first visit to the UK since the clashes in which 40 people died. King Hamad said he wanted UK advice on the reform of the police and judiciary. Prime Minister David Cameron has urged Bahrain's king to implement concrete reforms, and has offered UK support. -
King announces constitutional amendments
Bahrain’s king announced constitutional amendments that will give the elected Parliament greater powers of scrutiny over the government, but the concessions fell short of the opposition’s demands for change. The amendments, which increase powers to question and remove ministers and withdraw confidence in the cabinet, emerged from a national dialogue King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa organised last year after the uprising. -
Protesters try to retake Pearl Roundabout
Security forces fired tear gas and stun grenades at protesters who gathered ahead of the first anniversary of the start of pro-democracy demonstrations in the Gulf kingdom on Tuesday. Thousands are expected to march on Pearl Roundabout - the focal point of protests last year - which opposition leaders have vowed to retake. -
One year on
A year later, the first anniversary of the uprising ended as it began. Thousands of protesters tried to march to the former site of the Pearl monument.
