Family plea to free detainee
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 25th May 2007
FAMILY members and friends of a 22-year-old Bahraini, who is allegedly being held in the UAE without trial, yesterday demonstrated outside the National Assembly, Adliya.
Fifty demonstrators later marched to the adjoining UAE Embassy and demanded the immediate release of Adel Abdulkhaleq, who was detained when he visited UAE on January 14 this year on alleged terror links.
MP Mohammed Khaled, who was at the demonstration, told the GDN he had already submitted a petition to parliament on the issue a week ago.
“We are going to debate the petition very soon, but I have again submitted another one from the family members,” he said.
Family plea to free detainee
By MANDEEP SINGH
Published: 25th May 2007
FAMILY members and friends of a 22-year-old Bahraini, who is allegedly being held in the UAE without trial, yesterday demonstrated outside the National Assembly, Adliya.
Fifty demonstrators later marched to the adjoining UAE Embassy and demanded the immediate release of Adel Abdulkhaleq, who was detained when he visited UAE on January 14 this year on alleged terror links.
MP Mohammed Khaled, who was at the demonstration, told the GDN he had already submitted a petition to parliament on the issue a week ago.
“We are going to debate the petition very soon, but I have again submitted another one from the family members,” he said.
Mr Khaled said they hoped Mr Abdulkhaleq, an Education Ministry employee, would soon be released and sent home to Bahrain.
“What has he done? Why is he behind bars? Why is the family not being told about the case? We demand to know,” he said.
“All that we in Bahrain are aware of is that he has been detained due to alleged terror links. Where are those links?”
Mr Khaled said Mr Abdulkhaleq should be tried in Bahrain, if there are genuine grounds.
“He can face the courts here, at least he can be closer to his family,” he said.
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights vice-president Nabeel Rajab, also among the demonstrators, said the continued detention of Mr Abdulkhaleq defies all logic.
“We have a right to know why he was arrested. His family should be told. They have to be kept informed,” he said.
Mr Rajab claimed that the family has got reports that Mr Abdulkhaleq is being threatened into confessing his terror links.
“The government of Bahrain should pull out all stops to ensure that Mr Abdulkhaleq comes back soon.”
mandeep@gdn.com.bh
© Gulf Daily News