A world-renowned Bahraini activist has accused the British government of supporting the al-Khalifa bloody regime in the Gulf Kingdom despite daily human rights violations because of business interests.

Nabeel Rajab, who is president of the Bahrain centre of human rights (BCHR) and was recently freed after spending two years in prison for taking part in "illegal gatherings", told IBTimes UK that the Bahraini government "have bought the silence of the British government by increasing the business" since the start of the crackdown on peaceful protesters in 2011.

"The arms trade has increased, the business between the UK government and Bahrain has increased after the crackdown of over 30% ," he said. "That's why you see not only silence in the British government but also harassment to human rights defenders and even to the people living in this country and who came seeking asylum from Bahrain."

Britain sold Bahrain military equipment worth £18m in 2013, according to the Campaign against the Arms Trade (CAAT), and wants to sell Bahrain Typhoon jet fighters estimated at £1bn.

Rajab, one of the several pro-democracy campaigners arrested in the regime's clampdown on the uprising, was considered a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International.