David Cameron was accused of rolling out the red carpet for Bahrain’s torturer-in-chief last night after holding talks with the head of the hardline Arab regime.Human rights campaigners condemned the Prime Minister’s decision to invite Bahrain’s crown prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa to Downing Street at a time when his regime is engaged in a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
Former Foreign Office minister Denis MacShane said: ‘The Prime Minister is rightly calling for Gaddafi to go to the International Criminal Court but the Bahraini despots who are equally guilty of repression and torture and mass arrests are being given tea and a gentle talking-to in Downing Street.
‘It is just sad that David Cameron has such a tin ear to the cries for freedom from the Arab world.’
Last month the crown prince abandoned plans to attend the royal wedding in London in the face of international outrage at the way his regime has crushed protests.
Bahrain is due next month to lift the martial law imposed in March following weeks of pro-democracy protests which resulted in the deaths of at least 29 people.
Hundreds of people have been arrested and dozens put on trial, with some sentenced to death for their role in the uprisings.
