London 2012 Olympics: Ban King’s Son and Head of Bahrain Olympic Committee - Activists

Human Rights activists have set up a petition on the Avaaz community petitions website in a bid to prevent the president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee from attending the Olympic Games in London.

Activists are seeking to secure at least 15,000 signatures for the petition in a bid prevent Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad al-Khalifa, one of the King of Bahrain six sons and president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, from attending the London 2012 Olympics.

"Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al-Khalifa is the president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. As such, he is entitled to attend all events at this year's Olympic 2012 in London free of charge, receive discounted accommodation in a luxury hotel and be chauffeured to and from the games in a BMW," a statement on the website said.

In addition to protesting against the sheikh's position on the country's Olympic committee, the petition takes issue with him having publicly called for "a wall to fall on the heads" of demonstrators who participated in peaceful mass pro-democracy protests last year.

He also headed a committee that arrested, imprisoned and tortured up to 150 sportsmen and sports officials, including a disabled athlete, activists said. Some of thpse detained during the incident claimed to have been beaten up by Sheikh Nasser.

"They were arrested, imprisoned and many were tortured. Some prisoners claim that they were personally beaten or tortured by Sheikh Nasser himself. Their crime? Peacefully demonstrating and calling for the downfall of the Al-Khalifa ruling monarchy, of which Sheikh Nasser is a leading member and the King's son." the petition said.

Activists were further angered by Sheikh Nasser's reaction following the arrest of Mohammed Hubail, who plays for Bahrain's national football team, in April 2011 for taking part in pro-democracy protests.

Upon learning that Hubail had been sentenced to two years' imprisonment, Sheikh Nasser tweeted: "If it was up to me, I'd give them all life."

The petition calls on Prime Minster David Cameron and Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee, to prevent Sheikh Nasser's entry to the UK and declare it as "undesirable".

Last week, international powers criticised Bahrain's human rights record during a United Nations Universal Periodic Review in Geneva.

Representatives from the United States said the country still had to implement the most important recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry.

The commission was appointed by the King of Bahrain following the brutal crackdown on protesters during unrest in February and March last year.

Delegations from the US, France, Switzerland and Denmark also called for the release of of Abdulhadi Alkhawaja.

Alkhawaja, a leading Bahraini human rights activist and former president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was arrested last year.

He was convicted by a military tribunal of plotting to overthrow the state after taking part in pro-democracy protests.

He has been on hunger strike for more than 100 days in protest over his conviction.

His daughter, who also is an activist, was sentenced this week to one month in prison for attending an illegal gathering and assaulting a police officer

The Bahraini government continues to insist that it is committed to political reforms and human rights.