Americans Arrested In Bahrain --Madeleine Norton, 4th period

Just recently four American journalists under false identity were arrested on a small island run by Sunni (although the island is mostly main up of a Shiite population) under statement by authorities that they had "not registered with the concerned authority and were involved in illegal activities." Although the other three have not been identified, family members have discovered their own Anna Therese Day amidst the four imprisoned and have asked for her release.

CNN reported "All four Americans entered the country between February 11 and 12, providing false information that they were tourists, the Bahrain Interior Ministry said. The Americans' presence coincided with rallies marking the fifth anniversary of Bahrain's 2011 uprising. Sunday's demonstrations took place in, Sitra, a predominantly Shiite neighborhood south of the capital, Manama, known for sporadic protests since the 2011 pro-reform movement inspired by the Arab Spring. Bahrain police said they dispersed the rioters in accordance with Bahraini law, further accusing one of the arrested Americans of concealing his or her face 'with a cloth and participating in attacks on police alongside other rioters in Sitra.' The other three Americans were arrested at a security checkpoint in the area, police said. The case has been referred to the public prosecutor. According to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, at least six other journalists are in prison in Bahrain in connection with their work. 'It is sad that the fifth anniversary of the protests is marked by the arrest of yet more journalists in Bahrain, which has since become one of the worst jailers of journalists in the Arab world,' said CPJ's Middle East and North Africa program coordinator Sherif Mansour. 'We call for the immediate release of the four journalists arrested today and all other journalists who have been imprisoned over the past five years.'"

This situation is a tricky one, as international conflict come into play. Americans must be careful to make negotiations that don't upset their fellow country, and find out the truth behind the captured journalists' plot. Hopefully all will go well and the Americans can repay and apologize for their actions to be released, along with others whole might've been imprisoned far longer than they. Although a long stretch, this can be paralleled to Americans asking Britain to return Benedict Arnold into the hands of justice. However, in this instance, Americans are hoping to regain the journalists back from a hostile country, whereas with Benedict Arnold Americans wished to kill him for treason against the patriots as he was friends with the English.

Article below: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/15/middleeast/bahrain-americans-arrested/index.html