(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Bahraini protesters have staged rallies across the country to express solidarity with prominent human rights activist, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who is being held in prison, despite deteriorating health condition.
On Tuesday, demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy and in front of the Interior Ministry in the capital Manama to protest against al-Khawaja's detention.
Similar demonstrations were held in towns and villages in the Persian Gulf sheikdom to call for the release of the activist, who entered the 55th day of his hunger strike.
Maryam al-Khawaja, his daughter, told Press TV on Tuesday that the campaigner’s physical health had severely deteriorated and he "is entering a critical phase where his life is at stake."
She said two doctors had accompanied her father through Monday night and he was being moved on Tuesday to a different prison that has medical equipment as there were fears that he might go into a coma at any time.
In June, Al-Khawaja was handed down a life sentence for having led an anti-regime protest earlier last year.
Human rights groups have asked the regime to release him on humanitarian grounds.
On Friday, Amnesty International called for the ‘immediate and unconditional release’ of al-Khawaja and other detained activists in the country.
"The Bahraini authorities have made pledges that they would release people, who were imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression, but the continued imprisonment of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja demonstrates that they are not serious about fulfilling such promises," Phillip Luther, the group’s Middle East and North Africa director, said in a statement.
The rights group considers al-Khawaja a ‘prisoner of conscience, detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression,’ and says he began his hunger strike in February 2012 to protest his sentence.
Last week, the United Nations also issued a statement, expressing concern about "the health of human rights defenders, who are on hunger strikes in protest against their imprisonment for participating in last year's mass demonstrations."
The ruling Al Khalifa regime has detained thousands since popular rallies began last February, demanding the regime’s ouster. Scores have been killed in Saudi-backed crackdown on the anti-government demonstrations.
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On Tuesday, demonstrators gathered outside the US embassy and in front of the Interior Ministry in the capital Manama to protest against al-Khawaja's detention.
Similar demonstrations were held in towns and villages in the Persian Gulf sheikdom to call for the release of the activist, who entered the 55th day of his hunger strike.
Maryam al-Khawaja, his daughter, told Press TV on Tuesday that the campaigner’s physical health had severely deteriorated and he "is entering a critical phase where his life is at stake."
She said two doctors had accompanied her father through Monday night and he was being moved on Tuesday to a different prison that has medical equipment as there were fears that he might go into a coma at any time.
In June, Al-Khawaja was handed down a life sentence for having led an anti-regime protest earlier last year.
Human rights groups have asked the regime to release him on humanitarian grounds.
On Friday, Amnesty International called for the ‘immediate and unconditional release’ of al-Khawaja and other detained activists in the country.
"The Bahraini authorities have made pledges that they would release people, who were imprisoned for exercising their right to freedom of expression, but the continued imprisonment of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja demonstrates that they are not serious about fulfilling such promises," Phillip Luther, the group’s Middle East and North Africa director, said in a statement.
The rights group considers al-Khawaja a ‘prisoner of conscience, detained solely for exercising his right to freedom of expression,’ and says he began his hunger strike in February 2012 to protest his sentence.
Last week, the United Nations also issued a statement, expressing concern about "the health of human rights defenders, who are on hunger strikes in protest against their imprisonment for participating in last year's mass demonstrations."
The ruling Al Khalifa regime has detained thousands since popular rallies began last February, demanding the regime’s ouster. Scores have been killed in Saudi-backed crackdown on the anti-government demonstrations.
/129