(MENAFN) The British government is using a multi-million pound aid programme to fund Bahrain's parliament while the Gulf country bans opposition parties, reverses human rights reforms and carries out executions, Middle East Eye can reveal.
In detail, funding for the parliament, which critics say is a "rubber-stamping" body for the kingdom"s ruling family, was revealed in a breakdown provided under the Freedom of Information Act.
The funding, which is part of the Foreign Office's 2m "technical assistance" programme in the country, supports officials in the Council of Representatives despite internal concerns from advisers that it could be used as PR "fig leaf" over human rights concerns.
The revelation that the UK is funding the parliament comes as the Gulf state reverses key rights reforms and carries out executions in the face of international condemnation.
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