Speaking at an Index event at the British parliament earlier this month, Zainab’s sister Maryam al-Khawaja called on the United Kingdom to end its support for the Bahraini regime.
A prominent opposition activist has been fined for insulting a government employee in Bahrain. Zainab al-Khawaja, daughter of imprisoned activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who has been on hunger strike for over three months, was arrested last month after protesting for the release of her father during the Bahrain Grand Prix. Despite being fined 200 dinars ($530), Zainab al-Khawaja remains imprisoned on the charge of attempting to stage a protest. If convicted, the activist faces another charge or imprisonment. The case will be heard on 24 May.
A year ago today, mass protests took place at the now demolished Pearl Roundabout in the Bahrain capital, Manama. This year protesters have been attempting to return to the square where, for a month last year, thousands gathered to call for change. Protesters documented their failed attempts to reach the roundabout on 12 February, when a march to the symbolic square was quickly crushed by security forces. Clashes have escalated in the lead up to the anniversary of Bahrain’s mass protests, which has now claimed at least 60 lives.
During the attempt to return to the roundabout on Sunday, activist and prolific Twitter user, Zainab Al-Khawaja was arrested by security forces, having previously been arrested and released on bail in December. According to her sister Maryam Al-Khawaja, head of foreign relations for the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Zainab was detained on charges of “illegal gathering” and “disturbing the peace”. She will be in prison for the 14 February protests, like her father, who is currently serving a life sentence for his participation in protests last year.
Still, protesters are determined to return to the heavily monitored square. Last night, hundreds were dispersed through the use of tear gas by officials.
Prominent human rights activist and director of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, said that he was taking his family to the roundabout to remind the government that they have “legitimate demands”, to “give people strength” and to show the commitment of leaders:
Twelve of thirteen defendants were acquitted today by a Bahraini court, including Wafi Al-Majed, the husband of human rights activist Zainab Al-Khawaja, who was sentenced to four years in prison. Al-Khawaja, who tweets under the username @angryarabiya, expressed joy on the social networking site today:
After all that, my husband Wafi, was found innocent today. Ofcourse he’s innocent! Like all the other political prisoners #bahrain
Zainab, who is the daughter of well-known human rights activist Abdulhady Al-Khawaja, still waits for the release of her father, who has been in prison since 9 April:
I am SO happy!! :D …and yet my happiness will never be complete, until my dad, my uncle & every political prisoner is released #bahrain
While twelve of the defendants, who all faced charges of illegal assembly, rioting and incitement, were able to walk free, one now faces time in prison. Naser al-Raas did not appear in court today, and for this reason the court upheld his five-year sentence.
Canadian citizen al-Raas was first detained on 20 March, while attempting to leave Bahrain. Prior to his arrest, al-Raas attended protests peacefully, took pictures and tweeted his views. Charged with “inciting to hatred” and “spreading false news,” al-Raas told Index that he was “surprised” by the court’s decision to uphold the sentence, because Public Prosecutor Fadhil Al-Buainain recently said that all charges related to free expression will be dropped. al-Raas believes that his unchanged charges confirms that government officials are “lying.”
The 29-year-old IT specialist refused to go to court out of fear of returning to jail. “I didn’t want to take that risk, after what I experienced last time, I don’t want to go through that again,” said al-Raas. During his 31 days in prison, al-Raas was tortured and deprived of medication for his heart condition. al-Raas said that he and his lawyer are unsure of their next steps, on account of the unclear legal process, but they “reject the verdict.”
Canadian authorities have asked the Bahraini government to commute al-Raas’s sentence, but he believes that they should be calling for the charges against him to be dropped. He said it was “unacceptable” that he might face five years in prison for expressing his beliefs.
