Dear Friends,

Latest update on Abdulhadi Alkhawaja: Urgent appeal: Abdulhadi Alkhawaja may be on his deathbed (59th day on hunger strike) *07 April 2012 23:00*

Abdulhadi AlKhawaja called his family. According to his daughter Zainab AlKhawaja (who was released this afternoon after getting arrested on Thursday night) he can hardly speak, and he can hardly breath. He took very long pauses between every word, as he told his wife about the mistreatment he is receiving from the military hospital staff and the guards. He said that when they treated him badly he said to them “I will not accept this. I lived free and proud outside your prison and I live free and proud inside.” He told them if they didn’t improve their treatment and allow him to talk to his family he will stop drinking water as well. He also said he will not stop his hunger strike and he has told the guards “if I die, I die with dignity.”

According to his lawyer, Mohamed AlJishi, AlKhawaja has asked to be transferred to another hospital because of the mistreatment he is receiving at the military hospital. Read more HERE

Zainab Alkhawaja arrested again: In other urgent news, Zainab Alkhawaja went to the Bahrain Defense force hospital where her father Abdulhadi is being held around 5 hours ago. According to a pro-government website Zainab was screaming “Baba (father)” inside the hospital, she was handcuffed to a wheelchair and taken to the security office. Zainab’s family and lawyer have not been allowed access to her, and she has not been allowed to make a phone call. Her family is very concerned about her well being and safety. Her family is considering this a kidnapping as the authorities have not released anything official or informed the family or lawyer that she has been arrested. Zainab was last heard from or seen around 5 hours ago.

Note: the Bahrain Defense Force hospital is the same hospital where Abdulhadi Alkhawaja had a surgery last year after his jaw was broken during arrest, and where he was reportedly tortured according to BICI report case 8.

Best,

Bahrain: Hunger Striker Moved to Hospital as His Supporters Rally
7 April, 2012 – REUTERS – NYT

Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a jailed activist who has been on a hunger strike for 58 days, was moved to a hospital and fed intravenously on Friday after his health deteriorated sharply, his lawyer said. In the capital, Manama, protesters clashed with the police at a gathering of more than 5,000 people, above, who were demanding the release of Mr. Khawaja. He was sentenced to life in prison last year for leading pro-democracy protests. He began his hunger strike as a protest against abusive treatment in prison. His daughter, Zainab al-Khawaja, was detained during a protest on Thursday in front of the Interior Ministry. …source