Security forces attacked the protesters in several villages on Tuesday night, Press TV reported.
They fired teargas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters in the villages of Sitra and Dair. They also arrested several youngsters in Dar Kulaib.
The latest developments come as the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is set to discuss Bahrain’s rights record in the upcoming session of its Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group in Geneva.
The UPR is a UNHRC mechanism to examine the human rights records of all UN member states. The Working Group on the UPR is to hold its 13th session from May 21 to June 4.
On Monday, Bahraini forces once again attacked anti-regime demonstrators in the capital, using teargas canisters and rubber bullets against the protesters.
The demonstrators were chanting slogans against the ruling Al Khalifa family and calling for the release of political prisoners in the country. They also condemned the U.S. support for the regime’s ongoing oppressive campaign against anti-government protesters.
Bahrain activist says charge over tweets ‘vindictive’
Prominent Bahraini rights activist Nabeel Rajab told a court on Wednesday that a charge that he tweeted insults against the government was "vindictive," as dozens of lawyers turned up to defend him, AFP reported.
"The charge against me is vindictive and is due to my rights activism," Rajab told a judge at Manama’s Minor Criminal Court, insisting the decision to arrest and try him was political, according to witnesses.
"I only practiced my right to free expression. I did not commit a crime. The decision to arrest me and put me on trial was a political decision," he said.
More than 50 lawyers, both men and women, gathered at the court to defend Rajab, who has been leading protests following a brutal crackdown on demonstrations against the Al Khalifa dynasty in March 2011.
The judge adjourned the trial to Sunday, and ordered Rajab to stay behind bars.
Rajab, who heads the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), was detained on May 5 for "insulting a statutory body via Twitter". He also faces a trial for taking part in a Manama demonstration three months ago.
The activist has insisted on demonstrating inside Manama, unlike the main opposition which now stages its protests in villages, after last year’s clampdown on protesters who occupied the capital’s Pearl Square for a month.
Human Rights Watch on Tuesday urged Bahraini authorities to drop charges against Rajab.
"The charges against Nabeel Rajab are nothing more than attempts to silence one of the Bahraini government’s most prominent critics," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at the New York-based watchdog.
"Authorities should immediately drop these charges and release him," he said in a statement.
