Bahrain king ‘awarded for democracy’

Kuwait City

Bahraini King Al Khalifa awarded Humanitarian Personality of Year.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was named Humanitarian Personality of the Year with the absolute majority of votes in a recent poll conducted by the Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al-Sharq, according to Bahrain news agency.

The participants hailed the king for his role in “consolidating the pillars of democracy and freedom” and “successful tackling of all hostile plots intended to tamper with Bahrain’s independence and security and the freedom of its people,” said the agency.

The government is criticized for putting down an uprising with martial law in March 2011. Thousands were arrested and military trials conducted. Bahrain says it is now instituting a range of reforms.