Bahrain Parliament Approves Military Trials for Civilians
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Dubai, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Bahrain's parliament on Sunday approved a constitutional change allowing military courts to try civilians, the kingdom's latest rollback on reforms made after its 2011 Arab Spring protests that likely will stoke an ongoing government crackdown on dissent.
Activists warn the amendment will allow an undeclared state of martial law on the island near Saudi Arabia that's home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. Loyalists of Bahrain's rulers call the change necessary to fight terrorism as the persistent low-level unrest that followed the 2011 demonstrations has escalated recently in tandem with the crackdown.