Bahrain Mirror: The Deputy Spokesperson of the US Department of State, Mark C. Toner, said that the US Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to raise issues related to democracy and the political situation in Bahrain, as well as addressing concerns about continued actions against civil society.

Toner's comments came in the daily press briefing held on Tuesday (April 5, 2016), a day before Kerry's visit to the Bahraini capital Manama, where he will meet Bahraini government officials and foreign ministers of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.

In response to a question asking whether Kerry has meetings planned with civil society and opposition types there, or is he just meeting with Bahraini officials, Toner said: "I don't have the details of his schedule yet."

Reporter: I don't really have anything huge, but I did want to ask about - since the Secretary is headed to Bahrain - right? This week --

MR TONER: That's right. Yeah.

Reporter: Yes. Are - do you know what his plans are for meetings in Bahrain? Not the Gulf - not the GCC meetings, but does he have meetings planned with civil society and opposition types there, or is he just meeting with Bahraini officials?

MR TONER: It's a fair question. I don't have the details of his schedule yet. We'll try to get that for you. I just don't - beyond, as you said, the meetings with the GCC --

Reporter: All right. Do you --

MR TONER: -- I can imagine we'll have follow-on meetings, but I just don't have the details yet.

Reporter: Do you have anything to say about the current situation in Bahrain, as it relates to the treatment of activists and others?

MR TONER: Well, I mean, nothing particularly new. I mean, we've long spoken about our concerns about the political climate in - the democratic or political environment in Bahrain and our concerns about continued actions against civil society.

Reporter: And you would expect the Secretary to raise those continued concerns?

MR TONER: I would expect him to raise those, just as he would --

Arabic Version