Zainab Al Khawaja Free Again! You Rock Zainab!

[excerpt Guardian UK 22 June] She was in court when her father, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, one of the country’s leading rights activists, was given a life sentence, her younger sister, Maryam, said.

“Right after they read out the verdicts my father shouted, ‘The struggle will continue,'” said Maryam, 23, who left Bahrain in March and has been protesting from overseas, tweeting as maryamalkhawaja. “He was beaten and forcefully removed from the court. My sister stood up and chanted, ‘Allahu akbar’ [God is great], and she was forcefully removed from the court and arrested. She was charged with contempt of court but then was made to sign a pledge not to speak in court again and then she was released.” …more

[CB Editor: so happy to see you free again Zainab!]

Recent Tweets
* RT @angryarabiya: I signed & was released. I left the police station, for the 3rd time in less than a month. That makes it three pledges that I have signed.
about 57 minutes ago

* RT @angryarabiya: I refused to sign that pledge & said I wud sign one that says I will show up to prosecution if called. Didn’t think it wud work, but it did.
about 57 minutes ago

* RT @angryarabiya: there were details, I will not participate in illegal gatherings (5 or more ppl) I wont do something to disrupt the peace… and so on
about 57 minutes ago

BACK GROUND on Zainab’s Father sentenced to life in prison today for seeking Human Rights and Democracy in Bahrain.

Bahraini Activist Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja Severely Wounded under Torture
Al-Manar | May 9, 2011

Bahraini human rights activist and former president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja was drastically beaten by the Bahraini authorities after being arrested in April.

“Al Khawaja’s jawbones were completely smashed and he is suffering from four fractures in his face; he is to undergo a very critical operation”, another Bahraini activist Nabil Rajab stated.

In an interview with Al Manar website, Rajab called upon “the Bahrainis all over the world, specifically those living in European countries, to proceed with the lawsuits and use all possible judicial methods against the Bahraini regime”.

Furthermore, the human rights activist clarified that “we are victims of our region, as sympathizing with any cause is influenced by the sectarian aspect… we are also victims of inconsistencies and interests of world powers that ally with Al khalifa (Bahrain) regime”.

This comes as the Bahraini regime has been executing brutal repressive policies against civilians since the protests began. The Bahraini security forces are breaking into houses, kidnapping young men and women, arresting humanitarian and political activists, as well as opposition figures, and are imprisoning and torturing most of them.

Four political prisoners have been tortured to death; the last was funder of Al Wasat Bahraini newspaper and prominent business man Karim Al Fakhrawi. …more