JNN 04 Nov 2012 Manama : Bahrainis have held demonstrations across the country in defiance of a recent ban on all protests and public gatherings.

On Friday, police fired tear gas canisters and used batons to disperse the pro-democracy protesters who are calling for the downfall of the Al Khalifa regime.

The protesters also demanded the release of political activists.

A 12-year-old was injured in the head by a canister as police fired tear gas at protesters in the town of Bilad al-Qadeem, just outside the capital Manama, activists said.

Human rights activist and the head of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), Said Yousif al-Muhafdah, was reportedly arrested as he tried to assist the boy, journalist Mazen Mahdi tweeted.

Before the arrest, Said Yousif al-Muhafdah posted a picture and tweeted “I can see the riot police shooting toxic gas at peaceful protesters in #Biladalqadeem now.” This is not the first time he is being detained by police – the activist was arrested in August apparently for speaking against the kingdom’s rulers.

Also on Friday dozens of protesters were dispersed by a disproportionate number of security forces in the village of Diraz, west of Manama, activists said.

On Thursday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon criticized Bahrain for imposing restrictions on protests and public gatherings.

Ban expressed “his concern about the restrictions” declared by the Bahraini government on Tuesday, his spokesman Martin Nesirky quoted the secretary general as saying, AFP reported.

Ban called on Bahrain to “abide fully by international human rights standards, including respect for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and association.”

The UN chief warned that the ban on protests would “aggravate” unrest in Bahrain.

“The secretary general believes these restrictions could aggravate the situation in the country and urges the government of Bahrain to lift them without delay,” Nesirky said.

On Wednesday, Amnesty International censured the Bahraini regime for its decision to ban all demonstrations and public gatherings across the country.

The London-based organization said that “law enforcement officials must act to protect peaceful protesters” and that the “authorities cannot simply declare a blanket prohibition on all protests.”

Bahraini Interior Ministry said in a statement issued on October 30 that it would ban all protests and gatherings, describing anti-regime demonstrations as “repeated abuse” of freedom of speech.

The Bahraini revolution began in mid-February 2011, when the people started holding massive demonstrations.

The Bahraini government promptly launched a brutal crackdown on the peaceful protests and called in Saudi-led Arab forces from neighboring Persian Gulf states.

Dozens of people have been killed in the crackdown, and the security forces have arrested hundreds, including doctors and nurses accused of treating injured revolutionaries.

The protesters say they will continue holding anti-regime demonstrations until their demand for the establishment of a democratically elected government is met.

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