DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – An advocacy group says the nightly disruption of internet access in the Bahraini neighborhood of a prominent Shiite cleric targeted in a government crackdown appears to be deliberate.
A report released Thursday by Bahrain Watch comes as human rights activists, journalists, Shiite leaders and others have been imprisoned or forced into exile in a severe clampdown on dissent in the tiny, Sunni-ruled island kingdom.
With independent news gathering growing more difficult in Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, the report suggests the internet slowdown is intended to disrupt protesters in the Duraz neighborhood. Telecommunication companies Batelco and Zain did not respond to a request for comment.
Bahrain Watch also suggested the disruption may be on government orders. Bahraini officials did not respond to a request for comment.