Anti-riot police fired tear gas and bird shot pellets to disperse protesters in the Bahraini capital of Manama on Friday after anti-government demonstrations erupted across the city.

Hundreds of protesters staged fresh rallies across the capital to protest against the government and demand democratic reforms.

Photographs posted on social networks showed large amount of tear gas being fired on the streets of Manama and protesters being arrested. According to activists, a woman and a 14-year-old were among the detainees.

Today's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters comes only two days after the Bahraini government pledged to improve its treatment of political activists and prevent violence against ethnic and religious communities.

Bahrain was the first country this year to be subjected to the 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council's reviews of all nations' human rights records.

The Bahraini government fully accepted 145 of the 176 recommendations issued by the U.N. Universal Periodic Review (UPR), and partially accepted 13.

Some of the recommendations focused on the government's response to the unrest that has swept through the Gulf nation.

The Gulf Arab state, which is ruled by a Sunni Muslim monarchy and hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since activists mainly from the Shi'ite community began protests in February 2011, inspired by successful uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. The Shi'ite community, which constitutes the majority of the population, say they feel marginalized by the Sunni ruling family and demand democratic reforms.

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), established in June 2011 by King Hamad, issued in November 2011 a 500-page report detailing abuses committed in the Gulf kingdom against the Shiite-led uprising.

Despite claims of progress by the regime, Human Rights Watch accused the government of failing to carry out the recommendations set by the independent commission.

According to activists, at least 80 people have been killed since the uprising began. This number cannot be verified as foreign media and rights organizations are regularly denied entry into the country.