Ayat al-Gormezi , 20, a poet and student arrested two months ago after reading out a poem at a prodemocracy rally, is due to go on trial

Rose Revolution In Bahrain
Bahrain’s security forces are increasingly targeting women in their campaign against prodemocracy protesters despite Wednesday’s lifting martial law in the island kingdom.

Ayat al-Gormezi , 20, a poet and student arrested two months ago after reading out a poem at a prodemocracy rally, is due to go on trial [June 3] before a military tribunal , her mother said.

Original Report Date : 02-04-2011 04:59 مساء
Action Alert: Bahrain – Bahraini mother’s cry for help

Bahraini police tells father: “If you don’t tell us where Ayat is in fifteen minutes, we will kill each of your sons in front of your eyes”

1. Summary

The mother of Ayat Al-Qormezi appeals to all campaigners and human rights activist to ascertain the whereabouts of her daughter and ensure her safe return. Ayat was arrested for reciting a poem which criticised the Bahraini government.

2. Background

Ayat Al-Qormezi, a 20 years old poet and student at the Faculty of Teachers, was arrested on Wednesday, March 30th 2011. The reasoning for her arrest is that she recited a poem which criticised government policy in Pearl Square, on February 23rd, 2011. Al-Qormezi had been receiving has been subjected to harassments, defamation, intimidation and threats of rape and murder.

Her mother has told IHRC that they live in constant fear, since the police raided their house on Tuesday at 1:00 AM. Having not found Ayat, they destroyed the contents of the house and confiscated books and CDs. Before leaving, they told the family that they will continue pressuring the family until they reveal the whereabouts of the 20 year old student.

On Wednesday, riot forces and over 50 jeeps surrounded their house. They raided their house again, gathered four of Ayat’s brothers, and laid them on the floor at gunpoint. They shouted at Ayat’s father “If you do not tell us where Ayat is in fifteen minutes, we will kill each of your sons in front of your eyes – I have orders to do so”, her mother told IHRC.

After this terrifying ordeal, her mother and father had no choice but to ask Ayat to return home. The riot forces and the police, faces covered, told the mother that they would take her to be interrogated and sign documents. They were told that they would then be able to take her home from Al-Howra police station. Her mother states that her daughter has been missing ever since, has been told that her daughter is being treated at a military hospital for wounds incurred during being tortured by her interrogators.

Her mother pleads desperately, saying: “Please find my daughter and bring her back to me before they kill her”.

IHRC urges all campaigners to write letters to the Bahraini authorities and the Foreign Secretaries in their countries, urging them to put pressure on the Bahraini authorities to reveal immediately the whereabouts of Ayat Al-l-Qormezi, and ensure her return. …source