HRinfo argues Bahraini Authorities to immediately release Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja

(Cairo- 26 September 2004)

(Cairo, 26 Sptember 2004) Mr. Abdul-Hadi Al-Khawaja, the executive director of the Bahraini Center for Human Rights is detained in the context of the policy of silencing human rights defenders' voices, these policies which are applied by the Arab governments. The arrest of Al-Khawaja uncovers the falseness of the alleged reform promised by the Arab countries.

HRinfo was reported that Abdul-Hadi received a phone call from the Nabeeh Saleh Police station at 10:30pm on 25 September. He was summoned to the named police station. When he got there he was arrested and detained. This was two days after voicing his opinion in a symposium, namely "The National Campaign to Promote Economic Rights in Bahrain." Which was organized by the Bahraini Center for Human Rights. In this symposium, he criticized the government policies and the prime minister who has been in the top of the government for more than thirty years and is responsible for the deterioration of the economy and all the human rights violations in the past. He also spoke out about the government's economic policies in regard to unemployment, unemployed persons and poverty.

Up till now, there is no clear charge brought against Abdul Hady Al-Khawaja, he is detained in Hod Al-Jaf prison, he has announced that he has started a speech and hunger strike, and he will continue this strike till the Bahraini prime minister resigns, as the latter is considered by Al-Khawaja to be the stumbling block in the path towards the reform planned and built by Sheikh Hamad Ben Essa Al Khalifa.

HRinfo condemns these irresponsible practices by the security against the human rights defenders and appeals for the Bahraini authorities to immediately release Abdul-Hady Al-Khawaja