Unrest in the Middle East – live updates

• Hillary Clinton backs the protests in Iran • Mourner killed in Bahrain at the funeral of a protester ترجم هذه الصفحة إلى العربية 8.15am: Bahrain Bahrain’s interior ministry has confirmed that “clashes” took place at the funeral of protester today. In a Twitter update it said: Chief of Public Security: In Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima’s funeral procession this morning some people clashed with a police patrol . Police used teargas to break up the funeral. “They were dispersed with teargas close to the hospital and then gathered again,” Ibrahim Mattar, a member of parliament from the Shia opposition group Wefaq, told Reuters. Mattar said a second protester died today. Al-Jazeera reported he was killed in clashes at the funeral procession. Nabeel Rajab, vice president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, has put together a Facebook gallery of photos from today’s funeral and yesterday’s protests . It includes this which appears to show protesters being dispersed by teargas (it is unclear whether this is from today or yesterday). _ Disturbing video has also emerged claiming to show footage of Mushaima’s dead body in hospital [ warning distressing content ] . 8.01am: Iran The police have confirmed that one person was killed during clashes between security forces and protesters yesterday. Acting police commander general Ahmad Reza Radan said dozens of people, including nine members of the security forces, also were wounded. He blamed the violence on the opposition, as did Iran’s state-funded Press TV . In the Iranian capital Tehran, anti-government groups, including members of the anti-Iran terrorist group Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), have staged riots, killing one person. The rioters opened fire on bystanders on Monday, leaving several other people injured as well, Fars news agency reported… The opposition had asked for permission to hold a public rally “in support of the people in Tunisia and Egypt” but the Iranian government refused to give permission and declared all such rallies illegal. The government said that no more demos were needed as the Iranian people already expressed their solidarity with the Egyptians and Tunisians on February 11. 7.53am: Shockwaves from the uprising in Egypt continue to be felt. One person was killed in Bahrain today after the security forces fired shots at a crowd of people who had gathered for the funeral of a protester shot yesterday. AP has this: Officials at Bahrain’s Salmaniya Medical Complex the meeting point for the mourners say the 31-year-old man died from injuries from bird shot fired during the melee in the hospital’s parking lot. The mourners had gathered at the hospital Tuesday for a funeral procession for a man killed a day earlier in Egypt-inspired protests. Tuesday’s death raises the possibility of more marches and challenges to the ruling monarchy in Bahrain. Last night US secretary of state Hillary Clinton sent a message of support to protesters in Iran after thousands of people took to the streets to demonstrate against the regime of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. She accused Iran of “hypocrisy” for praising the protests in Egypt while cracking down on dissent in its own country. Here’s a roundup by country of the latest on the unrest in the region Bahrain Riot police fired teargas and rubber bullets as demonstrators took part in a “day of rage “. One protester was killed and at least 25 people were injured. The protesters want changes to the country’s constitution, an elected prime minister, the release of political prisoners, and an end to the use of torture. Iran Thousands of defiant protesters in Tehran clashed with security officials as they marched in a banned rally. One person was reported killed, with dozens injured and many more arrested. Supporters of the Green movement appeared in scattered groups in various locations in central Tehran and other big cities in what was seen as the Iranian opposition’s first attempt in more than a year to hold street protests against the government. Yemen Protesters marched for a fourth consecutive day in the capital Sana’a demanding the removal of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. They faced attacks by government supporters wielding broken bottles, daggers and rocks. Police were unable to control the crowds in Taiz, where thousands of Yemeni protesters had held an all-night rally. The disturbances occurred while Saleh and the main opposition group were preparing for talks to avert an Egyptian-style revolt. Egypt A meeting between military leaders and pro-democracy representatives produced details about plans for fresh elections and constitutional changes . Attempts to clear Tahrir Square of protesters were only partly successful. Former president Hosni Mubarak is reported to be ill in Sharm el-Sheikh, while veteran politician Amr Moussa said he wants to run for president. Middle East Egypt Iran Bahrain Yemen Protest Matthew Weaver guardian.co.uk

Posted by on February 15, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry