This video says about itself:
4 November 2011
What if a country’s biggest athlete, a legend, a hero, a player who brought the nation some of its biggest sporting moments, was at practice one day and was suddenly taken into custody by masked men? What if he was held for months, tortured, his career ended, banned from his team and for playing for his country, all because he expressed his political views?
It’s not a storyline from a Hollywood script — that is what allegedly happened in Bahrain. Specifically, it’s what Alaa Hubail says happened to him. Hubail is the most famous soccer player in Bahrain and says similar treatment was forced on his brother, Mohammad, also a member of Bahrain‘s national soccer team; and to Anwar Al-Makki, Bahrain‘s internationally ranked table-tennis champion.
In a story largely ignored by the Western world, these athletes describe in detail the horrific torture they endured at the hands of their government — a government that is allied with the United States despite allegations of human rights abuses against pro-democracy protestors. E:60 goes to the Middle East for the first time to investigate how athletes were caught up in the clash of democracy, freedom, repression and politics. Jeremy Schaap reports.
Activists detained in Qurain Prison are prisoners of conscience and must be released immediately: here.
Bahrain: Authorities released a teenage Iraqi football player on Saturday who had been detained for seven months in the kingdom on suspicion of participating in civil rights protests: here.
Bahrain security fire tear gas at anti-government protesters: here.
Two Cosponsors Added to Bahrain Arms Sale Resolution: here.
Dear Kitty. Some blog 
November 5, 2011, 6:57 PM ET
Bahrain releases Zulfiqar Naji
Associated Press
BAGHDAD — Bahrain has released a teenage Iraqi soccer player detained for seven months in Bahrain on suspicion of participating in anti-government protests.
Abdulameer Naji told The Associated Press that his son Zulfiqar Naji, now 17, was released Saturday as a goodwill gesture from the Bahraini government to mark a key Muslim holiday.
Naji said his son, who played on the junior team for Bahraini club Al Muharraq, was seized from their home in Bahrain in April and sentenced to one year in jail.
The Bahraini government confirmed that the Iraqi teenager was among more than 300 prisoners freed after being pardoned by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa in honor of Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice.
Zulfiqar Naji’s detention sparked angry demonstrations in Iraq and as far away as Canada by people calling for his release. It also prompted the Iraqi government to make a plea to Bahrain on his behalf.
His father said the player planned to return to Baghdad on Monday.
“He was released because he was innocent and this represents a goodwill gesture on the occasion of Eid,” his father said.
Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy has waged sweeping crackdowns against mostly Shiite protesters calling for greater rights on the strategic Gulf Arab nation, home to the U.S. Navnajy’s 5th Fleet.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
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Actually Hasan Mushaima, Abdulhadi Khawaja, and several other opposition activists were sentenced to life in prison by a military court.
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