Bahrain: Abdulhadi al-Khawaja life in Imminent Danger on day 56 of “Freedom or Death” Hunger Strike

‘Al Khalifa regime proves worse than Israel’
PressTV – 4 April, 2012

The health of prominent Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja has worsened as he entered the 55th day of his hunger strike in jail.

His daughter Maryam al-Khawaja says there are now fears that Abdulhadi may go into a coma any time. He is being held despite mounting popular calls for his release.

On Tuesday, a group of Bahraini women held a sit-in outside the US embassy in Manama, against al-Khawaja’s detention.

Press TV talks with Dominic Kavakeb, with the Bahrain Justice and Development Movement from London, regarding the issue. What follows is a transcript of the interview.

Press TV: Mr. Khawaja has been on a hunger strike for the past 55 days. We know his condition is deteriorating and there is a growing concern that he may die in prison but the regime in Bahrain is refusing to release him.

At the same time, a Palestinian woman Hana Shalabi who was on a hunger strike in an Israeli jail for the past 44 days was released a few days ago. The comparison might point to the fact that the situation for Mr. Khawaja in a Bahraini jail is worse than Hana Shalabi’s conditions in an Israeli prison.

Kavakeb: Yes, I think it is a real shame for Bahrain that really Israel seems to be more lenient in this case than Bahrain itself. It is really quite worrying for Bahrain and embarrassing.

As you say, he is now entering the 55th day of his hunger strike and he is still being refused to be released and I think it shows just how important leaders and activists like Abdulhadi al-Khawaja are for the Bahraini people there.

The government will refuse to release them because they know how important they are, what characters they are and how they can inspire the population into protesting. So it does not look like they are going to release him at the moment.

There was another appeal today but he is still behind bars and it is looking increasingly dangerous for his life now, as you said.

Press TV: Despite the pressures and the brutal clampdown, the protests are continuing in Bahrain. How far do you think the revolutionaries will keep up with their demands?

Kavakeb: They will keep up with their demands until they win their demands. I fundamentally believe that and I think they made that clear over the past year by continuously coming out to protest, despite that in face of the huger pressure, etc. that continues to come out onto the streets.

So there is no reason to think that they will stop until they achieve the democratic change that they are fighting for and I think Abdulhadi al-Khawaja really exemplifies the fact that this is now, as you say, 55 days of hunger strike and he is still continuing to pursue it.

And there is no doubt at the moment and he will do that; he will keep going, as he said, until death or freedom. Those are his words and that really sums up the mood of the Bahraini people. …more