Hamad welcomes reforms

MANAMA, Bahrain, March 20 (UPI) -- King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa of Bahrain said Tuesday he approves of reforms made since a November report criticized his handling of political protests.

Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority told CNN: "The government carefully studied the recommendations and received leading international legal, policing, media and other experts, to advise decision-makers on the most appropriate way for Bahrain to implement the structural and legislative reforms necessary. The king welcomed the 'significant broad progress' that has been made."

The report submitted to the king Tuesday was a follow-up to one issued in November by Bahrain's Independent Commission of Inquiry that slammed the government's response to last year's Arab Spring uprising. The commission found excessive force by police and torture among the biggest problems.

Jasim Husain, former lawmaker and member of the opposition Wefaq Party, said Hamad may not be as "welcoming" to reforms as he says.

"I, like a good number of others, am afraid the report will say the BICI recommendations have largely been implemented, which is not really true," he said. "Some recommendations have been implemented but some have been overlooked."