Bahrain prince to skip UK royal wedding (amid criticism by activists following brutal crackdown)

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

The crown prince of Bahrain has declined an invitation to attend Britain's royal wedding because of ongoing unrest in the Gulf Arab kingdom.

Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa's decision on Sunday comes amid criticism of the invite by activists angered at the kingdom's violent crackdown on opposition protesters.

The prince said he had delayed sending his regrets, hoping for the situation in Bahrain to improve before Prince William and Kate Middleton marry on April 29, his office said in a statement.

=snip=

The annoucement came as Bahrain's state media reported that a military prosecutor has called for seven anti-government protesters to be given the death penalty.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/2011424165555715419.html

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Prince Charles and Whassername with Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa aboard a UK naval vessel
off the Bahrain coast in 2007 (EPA)

[Javaman]

1. Dear Queen Liz...

Sorry, but I won't be able to make the wedding. Problems at home and all that rot. Give my regards to Charlie.

Enclosed you will find my gift. I will send more when able. Things are a bit tight at the moment, but do please give my regards to your British Parliament for staying mum on the problems here. All that bad press would just be so boring.

I do appreciate you giving the ad hoc support via the Saudi Military. I know it would be terribly messy for you to get directly involved.

In closing, I wish a very happy and beautiful day to the new bride and groom. I'm sure they will look smashing.

Yours,
The Crown Prince of Bahrain
Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa

P.S. Pardon the use of the paper napkin as my letterhead.

[Turborama]

2. Furore over royal wedding guest list

Bahraini prince pulls out after global outrage at crackdown on protests / Human rights groups say representatives of despotic regimes should be barred

By Jonathan Brown
Monday, 25 April 2011

Prince Charles and the Foreign Office found themselves at the centre of a human rights row over the guest list for Friday's royal wedding, with protests planned outside Westminster Abbey and five-star hotels because of invitations to foreign despots and figureheads from autocratic regimes.

The Crown Prince of Bahrain was last night forced to pull out of attending the wedding, hours before he had been due to fly in to London, amid anger over his role in the Gulf state's brutal crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Human rights activists had pledged to disrupt Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa's stay in Britain with a series of protests, insisting that he is the chief architect of the Saudi-backed security forces' violent response to the demonstrators, which has left up to 31 people dead.

More than 500 opponents of the regime have been arrested since protests began in February, while there has been mounting international outrage at the regime's targeting of medical staff willing to treat those injured in clashes with Baharani police.

The Bahraini prince wrote to the Prince of Wales yesterday apologising for withdrawing, which he described as a matter of "deep regret". He said he had left the decision "for as long as possible in the sincere hope that ongoing events – resulting from recent unrest in the Kingdom of Bahrain – might have improved, leaving me able to join the celebrations without being.

More on this right royal PR disaster that's unfolding: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/furore-over-royal-wedding-guest-list-2274407.html