WASHINGTON, The United States: Amnesty International has called on the government of Bahrain to reverse its decision to suspend the board of a prominent human rights organization, after it criticized alleged violations committed by the authorities against opposition and human rights activists within the Sh'ia community.

According to the Ministry of Social Development it had dismissed all members of the board of the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS) and appointed one of its own officials as the organization's "temporary administrator".

The ministry accused BHRS of being too partial to the country's Shiite majority.

"By suspending the board of the BHRS and putting its own representative in charge, the government has effectively taken control of the organization with the apparent intent of closing it down," said Malcolm Smart of Amnesty International.

"This undermines the basic rights to freedom of expression and association, and the government should rescind its decision immediately."

Last month, 21 prominent Shi'a political and human rights activists were detained and charged with terrorism and plotting to overthrow the government. Another two men who live in London were charged in their absence.

Another Bahraini human rights organization, the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was banned by the government in 2004. Its director, Nabeel Rajab, has been subject to repeated harassment and media smear campaigns.

Independent human rights organizations and other NGOs must obtain official recognition from the Bahraini authorities if they are to operate legally.

"The BHRS is an independent, legally registered NGO and as such, it should be allowed to continue its human rights work unhindered and without interference from the Bahraini government," said Amnesty International.