@Bird
During the 57th session of the Human Rights Council, human rights defender Maryam Al-Khawaja delivered a video statement calling on the Council to take effective measures to ensure the release of all those arbitrarily detained, including her father, human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, as well as Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace, and political leader Hassan Mushaima.
Read and watch the statement below:
This is a joint statement on behalf of the International Service for Human Rights, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and the Free Al-Khawaja campaign.
My name is Maryam Al-Khawaja, and I have addressed this Council many times since the 2011 uprising in Bahrain. Today, I speak again about my father, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, a prominent human rights defender who has been imprisoned since April 2011. He was brutally tortured, convicted in an unfair trial, and remains in prison, denied essential medical care.
The passing years have not eased the pain of watching my father suffer. Last year, when he went on hunger strike, I feared for his life. I tried to return to Bahrain to be with him, only to be blocked from traveling on British Airways. Even with the world watching, Bahrain’s actions show a blatant disregard for international law. They continue to torture human rights defenders, strip people of their citizenship, and repress all forms of opposition without facing any consequences.
My father is not only a Bahraini citizen but also a Danish and European Union citizen. Yet, Bahrain continues to torture and imprison him without facing any repercussions. This lack of accountability reflects a broader failure of the international community, particularly the European Union, which has maintained close ties with Bahrain despite these gross human rights violations.
My father’s case is not unique. Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace has been on a solid food strike since July 2021, and 76-year-old political leader Hassan Mushaima remains arbitrarily detained under inhumane conditions, including solitary confinement. Despite being named in the UN Secretary-General’s reprisals report, Bahrain continues to act with impunity.
My family and I continue to pay the price for our fight for freedom, even as I battled cancer. We have done our part – this Council must now do its part.
Thank you.
Over a dozen organisations sent a joint letter to all States members of the Human Rights Council, calling for the renewal of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Russia. Read the letter below.
The 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council will consider issues including acts of intimidation and reprisals for cooperation with the UN, systemic racism, environment and climate justice, and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and people of African descent. It will also present an opportunity to address grave human rights situations in States including Afghanistan, Burundi, China, Israel/oPt, Nicaragua, Russia, Sudan and Venezuela, and many others. Here's an overview of some of the key issues on the agenda.
Sudanese authorities are systemically denying access to identification documents, especially passports, to human rights defenders, political opponents, and peace advocates calling for an end to the war, a sustainable peace, and a democratic transition.
