Amnesty International denounced yesterday evidence of the Bahraini security forces’ systematic use of excessive force in cracking down against protesters, saying that the royal government was "very clearly trying to suppress any kind of freedom of speech."

In the released report, Bloodied but Unbowed: Unwarranted State, the NGO documents how security forces used live ammunition and extreme force against demonstrators in February without warning and impeded and assaulted medical staff trying to help the wounded.

“It appears that the government has decided that the way to deal with protests is through violent repression, a totally unsustainable position and one which sets an ominous example in a region where other governments are also facing popular calls for change, said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International’s director for the Middle East and North Africa."

Meanwhile, European Union urged the authorities to refrain from violence and settle the escalating crisis through political dialogue.

Amnesty called on the international community to pressure the authorities in Bahrain to allow demonstrations and freedom of speech and ensure that basic human rights are not "massively violated."

"You shoot at them and prevent them from getting help. That is one way of trying to deter other people from participating in demonstrations," Nicolas Beger, Amnesty's EU representative, told the AP in an interview.

The organization urged governments who supply weapons to Bahrain to immediately suspend the transfer of weapons, munitions and related equipment that could be used to commit further human rights violations, and to urgently review all arms supplies and training support to Bahrain’s military, security and police forces.