Bahrain: Human Rights Defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja released on bail

Front Line, the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, has been informed that Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, former President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and now Protection Coordinator for the Middle East at Front Line (excluding Bahrain), has been interrogated for several hours at the Public Prosecutors Office (PPO) in Bahrain on the 9th of January 2009.

He was questioned for five hours about his human rights activities and then released on bail.He was instructed not to change his address – which could mean that the authorities may take another action against Mr.Al-Khawaja.

Front Line is particularly concerned at this event which falls within the framework of a persistent pattern of repression practised by the authorities against human rights defenders and their organisations in Bahrain.

Front Line calls on the authorities in Bahrain to:

1. Guarantee the safety and freedom of movement of Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, including the right to leave the country as necessary due to the commitments of his position with Front Line,as Protection Coordinator for the Middle East (excluding Bahrain).

2. Put an end to all forms of discrimination and repression against human rights defenders or their organisations and adopt, with the utmost urgency, every possible step to effectively help non-governmental human rights organisations to function freely in the promotion and protection of fundamental human rights** .

3. To abide by the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defendersand other international standard ratified by Bahrain.

https://www.frontlinedefenders.org/

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