BAHRAIN: British officials reconsidering licenses for arms exports

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

British officials plan to formally review their recent licensing decisions for arms exports to Bahrain in light of recent violence by governmment forces against opposition protesters, a Foreign Office minister told Al Jazeera satellite network Thursday.

The licenses are for items including tear gas cartridges and equipment that can be used for riot control.

‘In light of events we are today formally reviewing recent licensing decisions for exports to Bahrain. We will urgently revoke licences if we judge that they are no longer in line with the (consolidated EU and UK exportlicensing) criteria,’ Alistair Burt, minister for the Middle East and North Africa, told the network in a Thursday statement.

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske