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 . 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 . Officials should n't use ` ` violent acts of a few as a pretext '' to violate the rights of all , it says .
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 .