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A former Bahraini MP has criticized the Western states and their regional allies for supporting the Manama regime in its crackdown on protesters and political activists in the Persian Gulf state, Press TV reports.

Jawad Fairooz told Press TV that the western countries have adopted a “double-standard” approach vis-à-vis the situation in Bahrain, while their silence on Manama’s human rights violations shows their hypocrisy.

“A small country like Bahrain cannot be so aggressive towards people unless it is protected by some nearby countries” including Saudi Arabia as well as the Western states such the United Kingdom and the United States, added the analyst.

Fairooz further slammed the detention of opposition leaders and political activities in Bahrain, stressing that such moves merely worsens the situation as an increasing number of protesters defy Bahrain’s crackdown and take to the streets on an almost daily basis.

Despite the clampdown, people “are demonstrating in very large numbers, [although] they know that they are going to be targeted by poisoned tear gas, by bird shots and even by live bullets…and at the same time they would be detained, they would be jailed and would be sacked from their jobs.”

The comments come after two prominent rights groups Human Rights Watch and the [Persian] Gulf Center for Human Rights (GCHR) called on Bahrain’s Western allies, including, UK, France and Germany, to exert pressure on Manama to drop charges against prominent human rights activist, Nabeel Rajab.

Rajab, who is the GCHR president, is on trial over remarks he posted on Twitter that were regarded as insulting to the Al Khalifa regime.

Since mid-February 2011, thousands of protesters have held numerous demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to give up power.

Manama also has been severely criticized by human rights groups for its harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters, which has claimed the lives of scores of people so far.