Amnesty: Arms from the US, Europe used against protesters in Middle East, North Africa

[cory777]

Source: Associated Press

NEW YORK — The United States, Russia and many European countries that have supported the swell of protests across the Middle East and North Africa this year also supplied some of the weapons used against demonstrators, Amnesty International said in a new report Tuesday.

The report comes as the human rights group urges the U.S. Congress to block a $53 million proposed U.S. arms sale to Bahrain, where more than 30 people have been killed as the ruling Sunni Muslim monarchy has waged sweeping crackdowns against mostly Shiite Muslim protesters who have demanded greater rights.

The London-based group says its findings show the dangers involved in selling arms to repressive countries under a system that makes it difficult to tell who ends up with the weapons and how they are used.

“To the extent that arms transfers are knowingly engaged in and result in the perpetration of crimes against humanity, the transferring state also becomes responsible under international law,” Sanjeev Bery, the group’s Washington-based advocacy director for Middle East and North Africa, told The Associated Press.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/amnesty-arms-from-the-us-europe-used-against-protesters-in-middle-east-north-africa/2011/10/18/gIQANgzUvL_story.html

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