Bahrain shocked by human rights report

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior has expressed objections towards a report released by Human Rights Watch on Bahrain, describing it as "wrong as regards certain important facts". According to Bahrain News Agency (BNA), the Ministry's statement said: "disappointed and saddened by the unsupported accusatory statements made by Human Rights Watch’s representatives at the meeting and in their statement released during their visit." "Human rights organizations and NGOs perform a valuable function in helping governments in their efforts toward reform, because they act responsibly and provide neutral observations and because they are not political actors. The Ministry of Interior has met and engaged with 11 other international organizations concerned with human rights over the last year, and looks forward to continuing its policy of constructive engagement," the statement added.