Beirut, 25 February 2012 — The Gulf Centre for Human Rights appeals to the King of Bahrain and the Bahraini government to intervene rapidly to release the founder of our centre, human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja immediately and without any restriction or condition and to grant him the full freedom to travel to the country of his choice in order to receive the medical treatment that he is in desperate need for at the present time.
Beirut, 25 February 2012 — The Gulf Centre for Human Rights appeals to the King of Bahrain and the Bahraini government to intervene rapidly to release the founder of our centre, human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja immediately and without any restriction or condition and to grant him the full freedom to travel to the country of his choice in order to receive the medical treatment that he is in desperate need for at the present time.
Human rights defender Al-Khawaja was subject to gross violations of his civil and human rights as a peaceful citizen, starting with the brutal way in which he was arrested, and the torture that followed which resulted in broken jaws, and the unfair trials that sentenced him, the known and distinguished international activist he is, to life in prison where he suffers a lot of ill-treatment. He has gone through several hunger strikes along with his colleagues again and again demanding their release and a better treatment, and on February 8, 2012 he began his current hunger strike to get freedom for himself and hundreds other detainees, that led him to a serious medical condition that requires your immediate intervention for his release which is the demand of the international human rights movement.
We hope that you will respond to our sincere call immediately in order to make it possible for human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja to travel to any country in which he will be able to receive the required treatment as soon as possible.
The director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab said:
“Al-Khawaja is a noble fighter and an advocate of justice, freedom and human rights in the Arab world. He has taught hundreds of human rights defenders, especially here in Bahrain, where he has struggled to promote the culture of human rights and the empowerment of victims of injustice and tyranny to defend their usurped rights.”
He added: “A state that respects itself is one that values, appreciates and honors the great human rights defenders such as Al-Khawaja and the rest of his fellow activists who are languishing in prison with him today. To keep Al-Khawaja in prison, while he is in this poor health conditions is a clear injustice that reminds us of the security forces’ obsession in their quest to imprison, torture and target human rights activists.
The deputy director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights Khalid Ibrahim said:” I appeal to the King of Bahrain and the Bahraini Government to respond rapidly to the desire of the human rights defenders around the world and to release the courageous fighter and the activist teacher Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja immediately and to allow him to travel to get the treatment of injuries he sustained as a result of torture he suffered during his arrest.”
In the case of failure to respond to this humanitarian initiative, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights holds the King of Bahrain and the Bahraini government fully responsible for the safety and health of Mr. Abdulhadi A-Khawaja.
Freedom for the human rights activist Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja
Gulf Centre for Human Rights
For more information, please contact:
Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab (Arabic and English) +973-396-333-99
Lebanon: Khalid Ibrahim (Arabic and English) +961-701-595-52
The Gulf Centre for Human Rights is an independent centre and has been registered in Ireland. The Centre works to strengthen support for human rights defenders and independent journalists in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.