Dubai: Nearly 160 civil society groups from more than 60 countries have urged Bahrain’s King Hamad to order the unconditional release of rights activist Maryam Al Khawaja, Reporters Without Borders announced on Thursday.
Al Khawaja, a director of the Beirut-based Gulf Centre for Human Rights, also has Danish nationality and is a daughter of jailed opposition figure Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja.
She was arrested after arriving at Manama airport on August 30 and will stand trial from October 1 for allegedly assaulting a police officer.
“We urge that Maryam is immediately and unconditionally released,” the letter said.
Al Khawaja “is being persecuted for exercising her legitimate rights to freedom of expression and association in the defence of fundamental freedoms including her cooperation with international institutions and her important role in documenting human rights violations in Bahrain,” it said.
“We stand in solidarity with Maryam and all other human rights defenders wrongly imprisoned by your government for their work and beliefs,” it added.
Bahrain remains deeply divided three years after the authorities crushed month-long protests.
Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja was jailed for life following the 2011 Shiite-led protests against authorities in the kingdom.
His daughter has been active abroad in criticising the Bahraini authorities since the crackdown.
She has been a familiar figure in Washington, regularly meeting members of Congress and administration officials.
In 2011, she testified as a witness at a congressional hearing on Bahrain.
