( CNN ) -- Bahrain defended its decision Wednesday to impose a ban on all public protests , following calls from rights group Amnesty International to lift it immediately as a breach of people 's right to free speech . Bahrain 's Information Affairs Authority said in a statement that the ban was needed because `` increasing violence has resulted in death and serious injury to many . '' Most recently , two police officers died as a result of attacks with petrol bombs and a homemade bomb , the IAA said . Since the start of the year , there have on average been two or more licensed protests a week , the authority said , many of which expressed views critical of the government . `` However , all too often these demonstrations devolved into violence and lawlessness as demonstrators dispersed and youths armed with petrol bombs and other weapons took their place , launching assaults on public security officers and civilians , '' the statement said . From May to July , there were 91 injuries requiring treatment to members of the police force , averaging about one a day , it added . `` The reality is that one would be hard pressed to find a protest that both begins and ends peacefully , '' IAA spokesman Fahad Albinali said . `` The fact of the matter is that there has been an escalation of violence by some elements of the opposition and those who regularly engage in riotous activity . '' Opinion : Do n't forget about Bahrain . Violent clashes have broken out between security forces and opposition protesters on numerous occasions since protests began in the Persian Gulf kingdom in February 2011 , spurred by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt . But Amnesty International warned that a ban on all public gatherings was unwarranted and amounted to a drastic crackdown on people 's freedoms . Read more : Bahraini police , protesters clash after funeral . `` Even in the event of sporadic or isolated violence once an assembly is under way , the authorities can not simply declare a blanket prohibition on all protests , '' said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui , deputy director for Amnesty 's Middle East and North Africa program . `` Such a sweeping measure amounts to nothing less than nullifying the rights to freedom of association , expression and assembly . Law enforcement officials must act to protect peaceful protesters rather than using the violent acts of a few as a pretext to restrict or impede the rights of all . '' The Interior Ministry 's announcement of the ban Tuesday pointed the finger at opposition political groups , headed by Al Wefaq , as being behind ongoing protests . The ministry said the protests were a continuation of those held in February and March of last year that it said called for the overthrow of leading figures and the state . Read more : Bahraini wins human rights seat amid protests . The government had sought to protect freedom of expression , but `` that privilege has been abused repeatedly by organizers ' violations '' and people 's lack of respect for the law , Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa is quoted as saying Tuesday by the state-run Bahrain News Agency . The rallies have been associated with `` violence , rioting and attacks on public and private property , '' and are a threat to public safety and commerce , according to the news agency . The Interior Ministry is now looking for sites around the country to be used for staging protests `` to preserve the right of political expression while minimizing the risk of injury or disruption to society at large , '' the Information Affairs Authority said . The demonstrations staged in Bahrain early last year failed to gain the traction of other Arab Spring uprisings after a crackdown by authorities in the island state . The crackdown was backed by troops from nearby Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates . Last November , Bahrain 's Independent Commission of Inquiry issued a report critical of authorities ' reactions to the protests . The independent commission , set up by the king , concluded that police had used excessive force and torture in their response to the protests in the Sunni-ruled , Shiite-majority country . It recommended reforms to the country 's law and better training of its security forces , as well as other measures . Bahrain plays a key strategic role in the Middle East and is home to the U.S. Navy 's Fifth Fleet headquarters . Read more : Bahrain arrests 6 anti-government protesters . CNN 's Saad Abedine and Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report .
NEW : The ban is needed because of increasing violence at rallies , Bahraini officials say . Amnesty International calls for the ban on public protests to be lifted immediately . Amnesty says the ban is a violation of people 's rights to free expression and assembly . Officials should n't use ` ` violent acts of a few as a pretext '' to violate the rights of all , it says .