Bahrain human rights activist wins prize

This 14 April 2013 video from Denmark says about itself:

GET CLOSER to the reality of Bahrain with Maryam Al-Khawaja and Dr. Fatima Haji

This is the chance to get closer to the reality of Bahrain!

We, Crossing-Borders now have the unique chance to invite two Bahraini ladies; Maryam Al-Khawaja (Daughter of Abdul-Hadi AlKhawaja) & Dr. Fatima Haji from Bahrain who was arrested and tortured in Bahrain. She will come and tell us about what she has been through and about the current situation on the soil of Bahrain.

Dr. Fatima Haji’s bio:

Fatima Salman Hassan Haji – is a Bahraini internal medicine specialist and rheumatologist, as well as the Co-Founder of BRAVO (Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-Violence Organization). Fatima Haji is one of the doctors who witnessed the brutality of the Bahraini authorities’ crackdown against pro-democracy protestors gathered at the Pearl Roundabout, and worked to provide in April 2011. She is one of 48 medical professionals who were arrested tortured to extract false confessions and prosecuted for treating patients.

Dr. Haji was kidnapped and imprisoned for 3 weeks, denied sleep and food, electrocuted, her life was threatened, she was threatened with rape and forced to confess to crimes that she did not commit. She was convicted on felony charges and sentenced in a military court to five years in prison but was acquitted in the High Appeal Court in June 2012. Dr. Haji continues to be suspended from work since April 2011, for treating patients. Since her release she has worked tirelessly to found the Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-Violence Organization and advocate for human rights in Bahrain.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights will also be launching a report about the Access to Health Situation in Bahrain and the attacks on medics.

From the Copenhagen Post in Denmark:

Al-Khawaja to receive Politiken‘s Freedom Prize

Peter Stanners

October 22, 2012 – 11:05

The daughter of the imprisoned Danish-Bahraini human rights activist, who has also been awarded for her activism, will accept the award on his behalf next week

The Danish-Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja will be awarded this year’s Politiken‘s Frihedspris (Freedom Prize).

Al-Khawaja is currently serving a lifetime sentence in Bahrain after being arrested in April 2011 for his activism to promote greater political and individual freedoms in his native country.

Despite international pressure to have al-Khawaja released into Danish custody, he remains imprisoned. His 110-day hunger strike, which he called off in May, gained widespread attention and led to international calls for his release.

Al-Khawaja was granted political asylum in Denmark in 1991 following a crackdown on political opponents of the ruling Al Khalifa family.

Before returning in 1999, he adopted Danish citizenship and established the Bahrain Human Rights Organisation that is credited with helping facilitate political reform in Bahrain.

In 2002 he established the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) and until February 2011 he was also the Middle East and northern Africa protection co-ordinator for the pro-democracy organisation Front Line Defenders.

His daughter Maryam al-Khawaja, the international liaison and deputy head of the BCHR, will accept the prize on his behalf on October 29. The prize comes with a 100,000 kroner award and according to Politiken honours “exceptional individuals or organisations struggling to defend or win freedom under hazardous conditions”. Previous winners include Cuban author Ricardo Gonzales and Egyptian human rights activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim.

Maryam al-Khawaja will be awarded the Stieg Larsson Prize in November for her work promoting human rights in Bahrain and the Middle East.

US must Pressure Bahrain on Human Rights (Strindberg): here.

Two hurt as Bahrain police clash with protesters: here.

Bahrain upholds convictions of teachers for organizing strike efforts: here.

Bahrain Sought to Divide and Conquer Protestors by Blaming Shias: here.