Maysoon Sakbar, official spokesperson for Bahrain’s Information Affairs Authority told a Press conference that any attempt to disrupt peace and security would be dealt according to the law.
She was responding to a question about the opposition plans to stage protests in the country on Friday the 25th of March.
Quoting the Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, she said despite the disturbances in the Kingdom’s economy would witness the growth of 4.5% this year, showing the robust base of the national economy.
She also confirmed some incidents of violence in the past 24 hours including the illegal check points and use of Molotov cocktails.
“Despite very few untoward incidents the overall life in the country is back to normal including the educational institutions,” she said.
“We invite each and everyone to contribute towards creating peace, harmony and normalcy and above all to heed to the call of the Government for National Dialogue,” she said.
However, she explained, no dialogue can happen prior to restoring 100 per cent normalcy in the country and the doors for dialogue never closed on anyone.
Responding to a question about death of Mrs Al Aradi she said that the concerned were investigating the case and factual position will be brought before the people in due course of time.
She said that the operation at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) was necessary to clear up this vital institution which had been used by the protestors as a ‘control centre’ during the protests.
She said that the operation at the SMC was necessary to ensure the functioning of this hospital without any interruption again.
“The hospital was surrounded by the police. The gates, which had been welded shut and barricaded with Ambulances, were opened and pathways cleared. Then the car park was cleared of the protest camp after being searched by forensic teams.
“For a maximum period of approximately one hour, access to the hospital was limited, but even then emergency cases were still admitted. At no other point were any patients or staff prevented from accessing the hospital although since the operation there have been delays on exit as a result of checks. There are no checks on entry.
“At no point during the securing of the hospital were the military directly involved and at no point was live ammunition was fired within the complex. Subsequent to the initial operation, BDF forces have provided support to the police in guarding and securing the outer perimeter of the complex.
“Two days after the initial operation, police conducted a room-to-room search of the hospital, supported by police and BDF medical teams. During that time nobody was prevented from receiving treatment. During this search, it was discovered that there were several apparent inaccuracies in patients medical records, which is now subject to an investigation.”
“The entire operation was carried out by the Ministry of Interior and 12 under treatment patients were shifted to the BDF hospital. Total 18 patients are under treatment at the SMC out of which the condition of five is critical,” she said.
“Total 22 people, those who are getting medical treatment at the SMC and BDF, are facing criminal investigations.”
“The rumours of firing from the air by the helicopters of by the Ministry of Interior and the BDF during the ongoing operations are just baseless. There is no reality in this rumour,” she explained.
About the numbers of total arrests or detained in the past she said that the concerned authorities would revealed the details upon the investigations and framing charges against the detainees.
She also denied any preferential treatment to the Pakistan national which getting entry into the Ministry of Interior jobs. “There are 20,000 vacancies announced by the Minister of Interior and those will be filled according to the set criterion of the Ministry,” she explained.