I fear for our lives, says divorced mum
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 17th January 2007
A BAHRAINI divorcee claims she has received more death threats against her and her children, since her dispute with her ex-husband was taken up by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR).
“I fear for my life and those of my children,” said 29-year-old Suad Mohammed Fathalla, whose plight was first highlighed by the GDN in July last year.
She said the latest threats came by phone early hours of yesterday and on Monday night, almost immediately after she asked the BCHR for help over a hate campaign she says has gone on for months.
I fear for our lives, says divorced mum
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 17th January 2007
A BAHRAINI divorcee claims she has received more death threats against her and her children, since her dispute with her ex-husband was taken up by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR).
“I fear for my life and those of my children,” said 29-year-old Suad Mohammed Fathalla, whose plight was first highlighed by the GDN in July last year.
She said the latest threats came by phone early hours of yesterday and on Monday night, almost immediately after she asked the BCHR for help over a hate campaign she says has gone on for months.
Ms Fathalla, originally from the UAE, said she had earlier been receiving threats via SMS and phone calls from mobile numbers in Saudi and Bahrain.
She said the calls started after she spoke out against the Sharia courts and accused judges of being politicised, for which she is facing charges of defamation.
“After I approached the BCHR, I was called from a Bahrain mobile number and told by a male caller to ‘watch out’,” said the mother of three.
The threats initially began when Ms Fathalla, who lives in Muharraq, was interviewed by Washignton-based Arabic television channel Al Hurra, in Dubai, on November 25 last year.
She spoke about her 10-year failed marriage to a Bahraini policeman, which ended in 2003 and the battle for custody of her children.
Speaking alongside her were Women’s Petition Committee head Ghada Jamsheer and now defunct BCHR president Abdulhadi Al Khawaja
During the interview, Ms Fathalla criticised the Interior Ministry, allegedly politicised judges and the lack of a personal status law.
“I receive telephone calls at 3am and SMS from pre-paid numbers from Saudi and Bahrain.
“I filed a case at the Muharraq Police Station over a month ago, but no action has been taken yet.
Ms Fathalla got married in 1993 when she was 16, but alleged later that her ex-husband was a violent and abusive drunk.
Ms Fathalla temporarily lost custody of her children after he filed a case against her, accusing her of being a prostitute.
Even though she was acquitted, she said the Sharia Court granted custody of the two youngest children to their father.
She says she had been in jail for 42 days because of the false charges. “I am so desperate now for my children,” said Ms Fathalla, adding they are now temporarily with her.
Ms Fathalla said her eldest son, 12-year-old Ahmed, had refused to stay with his father.
She said the younger two, Jameela, aged nine, and Mohammed, eight, had been told by the court to stay with their father, though it had ruled they could stay with her until February 13.
Ms Jamsheer said the committee would “not rest until Ms Fathalla gets justice”.
The BCHR has also condemned the alleged campaign against her.
“We call on Bahraini officials to drop the defamation charges against her and to ensure that her children remain with her,” said a BCHR official.
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© Gulf Daily News
