Manama: The Manama police department in Bahrain has summoned a female human rights activist as intensified crackdown on peaceful anti-government protests continue in the Middle Eastern country. Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) said Wednesday that Zainab al-Khawaja has been summoned to appear at the police department in the capital Manama on Thursday.
The daughter of a prominent Bahraini opposition figure, al-Khawaja went on a ten-day hunger strike in April to protest the detention of her close relatives amid the government’s brutal crackdown against anti-regime demonstrators.
The rights center also stated, “The summoning raises concern as her father, Abdulhadi al-Khawaj, told his family a few days ago that security forces inside the prison kept threatening that they had arrested and raped his daughter Zainab.”
Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a former president of BCHR, was arrested on April 9 and put on trial with 20 other detained activists over allegations of attempting to topple the Bahraini government. He has also been threatened with rape by the prison guards after he refused to apologize to Bahrain’s king on camera.
The anti-government protesters in Bahrain have been calling for political reforms since February 14, originally demanding a constitutional monarchy and an end to widespread state corruption and discrimination practiced by the regime of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
Dozens of people have been killed in the regime’s deadly crackdown. Hundreds of people, including medical doctors, nurses, teachers and other professionals, have also been detained, harassed and even tortured for helping or sympathizing with protesters.
Despite the regime’s brutality, widely verified and reported by international human rights organizations and media, the United States and its Western allies have kept silent on the major rights violations of the oil-rich Bahrain.
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription