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It said two other leading opposition figures -- Al-Wefaq's Jawad Fairouz and Hasan al-Marzouq -- were also wounded.
"Security forces besieged the area, chased citizens and repressed them brutally, beating them up and firing live rounds at them," it added.
Witnesses told AFP that security forces used tear gas, sound bombs, rubber bullets and birdshot to disperse the rally, adding that several people were wounded in the crackdown.
The interior ministry had announced late Thursday it had "turned down a request submitted by Al-Wefaq... to stage a rally" in the area, state news agency BNA reported.
"Holding the rally in such a vital location would disrupt security and compromise people’s interests," BNA quoted public security chief Major-General Tariq al-Hassan as saying.
Those participating in Friday's "illegal rally would be held accountable."
Sporadic and small protests have intensified in villages around the capital since a crackdown in March 2011 ended month-long Shiite-led protests in Manama's main Pearl Square.
Amnesty says 60 people have been killed since the protests erupted in February 2011 in the Gulf kingdom ruled by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty.
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"Security forces besieged the area, chased citizens and repressed them brutally, beating them up and firing live rounds at them," it added.
Witnesses told AFP that security forces used tear gas, sound bombs, rubber bullets and birdshot to disperse the rally, adding that several people were wounded in the crackdown.
The interior ministry had announced late Thursday it had "turned down a request submitted by Al-Wefaq... to stage a rally" in the area, state news agency BNA reported.
"Holding the rally in such a vital location would disrupt security and compromise people’s interests," BNA quoted public security chief Major-General Tariq al-Hassan as saying.
Those participating in Friday's "illegal rally would be held accountable."
Sporadic and small protests have intensified in villages around the capital since a crackdown in March 2011 ended month-long Shiite-led protests in Manama's main Pearl Square.
Amnesty says 60 people have been killed since the protests erupted in February 2011 in the Gulf kingdom ruled by the Sunni Al-Khalifa dynasty.
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