A letter from Maryam Al-Khawaja
April 12, 2012 4:01:13 PM EDT
Subject: Areas under attack, death from teargas, update on Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
Dear friends,
As I am writing this email, several areas are being heavily attacked by security forces who are using tear gas with stronger effects, bird pellet shotguns and Turkish APV’s: http://twitpic.com/98z4y8
Protester shot in the back with bird pellet shotgun: http://twitpic.com/98y0td
Abdulrasool Hassan Ismail’s son notified BCHR that his father died yesterday due to teargas suffocation.
Updates on human rights defender Abdulhadi Alkhawaja:
Prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja called his family, and said that his health deteriorated last night and he was informed by doctors that he might go into a coma. He was given IV, which has kept him conscious but weak.
Pomed: Dear Obama: Al-Khawaja must be released immediately: http://pomed.org/blog/2012/04/dear-obama-al-khawaja-must-be-released-immediately.html/#.T4ckSI7bcXx
Index on censorship "Free Abdulhadi Alkhawaja": http://www.indexoncensorship.org/2012/04/hunger-strike-abdulhadi-alkhawaja-bahrain-king/
BHRRC calls on Bahrain to release Abdulhadi Alkhawaja: http://t.co/V4jClu1K
12th April - Urgent appeal: Abdulhadi Alkhawaja may be on his deathbed (63th day on hunger strike): http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/5049
UN: Bahrain should consider transferring striker: http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/5163
Enough is enough: Abdulhadi al-Khawaja has waited long enough
for justice
http://www.irct.org/media-and-resources/irct-news/show-news.aspx?PID=13767&Action=1&NewsId=3552
Zainab Alkhawaja’s testimony about her last arrest: http://www.enduringamerica.com/home/2012/4/8/bahrain-1st-hand-shes-filth-zainab-alkhawaja-on-her-detentio.html
Injuries in Protests:
A large protest taking place in the capital Manama today, was attacked by security force.
Picture that shows the heavy use of teargas in residential areas: https://twitter.com/#!/manama4all/status/190455884739125251/photo/1
Abu Sabai: https://twitter.com/#!/LillyJFL/status/190470608633597954/photo/1
Sitra, children sleeping in the bathroom to avoid the tear gas: https://twitter.com/#!/candel4u/status/189552620329897984/photo/1
7 year old Mohammed Hadi was in the ICU after inhaling tear gas while walking home from School in Duraz: https://twitter.com/#!/sorr0w/status/188946374484692992/photo/1
Woman getting arrested in one of the protests: http://i.imgur.com/bl5ys.jpg
Girl pepper sprayed after participating in peaceful protest: http://p.twimg.com/Ap53wJvCEAAAJyo.jpg
Alba roundabout injured were reportedly attacked based on sect under the protection and help of Bahrain’s MOI (Arabic): http://www.alwasatnews.com/3505/news/read/655330/1.html
Shotgun injury in Malkiya this afternoon. Contains graphic content: http://twitpic.com/98kxsh
A video taken by BCHR’s S. Yousif Almuhafda shows riot police shooting a tear gas canister directly on three girls: http://www.twitvid.com/I9I9P
Protester injured in the head with pellet shotgun in Malkiya today: http://twitpic.com/98kodx
Other Updates:
Lawyer Mohammed AlTajer says that 5 witnesses who came forward about 22 year old citizen journalist, Ahmed Ismail’s killing, have were arrested, tortured and threatened with rape.
13 detainees from Sitra in dry dock prison cell 3 on hunger strike protesting against their extracted confessions by officer Essa Almajali
Athlete Khalil Ibrahim was sentenced to 6 month imprisonment starting today: https://twitter.com/#!/bahrain22/status/190402474312605696/photo/1
Riot police carrying and throwing molotov cocktails: http://twitpic.com/96uq4u, http://twitpic.com/96uszs
Maytham Ali Alshuwaikh was subjected to torture, his hand was broken when he was arrested 3 days ago at the station.
Reports
White House press statement on the situation in Bahrain: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2012/04/11/statement-press-secretary-situation-bahrain
CIHRS : BCHR’s President Nabeel Rajab was detained and deported from Cairo airport, Egypt. Nabeel’s laptop and mobile phone were confiscated and thoroughly searched: http://www.cihrs.org/?p=1983&lang=en
Bahrain Authorities continue to hold a detainee captive despite his urgent need for medical surgery: http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/5165
BPA: Journalist Ahmed Al-Bosta Attacked in Bahrain: http://bahrainrights.hopto.org/en/node/5164
Swedish Anna Hagberg who formerly lived in Bahrain was deported yesterday for criticism and re-tweeting: http://nyheter24.se/nyheter/utrikes/article679130.ece
Interesting insight into Bahrain police discrimination by blogger Marc Owen Jones: http://marcowenjones.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/thugs-or-groupies-highlighting-issues-of-police-discrimination-in-bahrain/
Best,
—
Maryam Al-Khawaja
Head of International Office
Tlf: +4581757959
Bahrain Center for Human Rights / Gulf Center for Human Rights
