“Many of these emails are very similar in content, suggesting an orchestrated campaign,” he added. “That said, some or even many of the emails may well be genuine. It is clear that everyone in Bahrain is to a greater or lesser degree concerned by what is going on. But clearly, the most traumatized are not the people sending these emails, but those people whose colleagues, friends and relatives have been killed, injured, harassed, intimidated, beaten, or have been arrested or gone missing.”

Colville says the authorities must scrupulously abide by international standards. And that, he notes, means people should not be arbitrarily arrested and detained without clear evidence they have committed a crime.

He says people should not be arrested for demonstrating peacefully nor for talking to journalists. He says injured people should not be prevented from receiving medical care.