Britain sold more than £1 million ($1.9 million) of military equipment to Bahrain last northern summer while the armed crackdown on protesters was still continuing.
Figures released by the British Government show that artillery, naval guns and rifles were among the weapons approved for export.
It adds to an awkward week for Britain's relationship with the kingdom. On Tuesday the former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner John Yates, now serving as an adviser on police reform in Bahrain, said the crowd-control tactic of "kettling" would "work really well" there.
Wikipedia describes kettling as a police tactic for controlling large crowds during demonstrations or protests which involves the formation of large cordons of police officers who then move to contain a crowd within a limited area.
The idea is that protesters are left only one choice of exit, determined by the police, or are completely prevented from leaving. It says that in some cases protesters are reported to have been denied access to food, water and toilet facilities for long periods.
