Bahrain uprising: a woman activist speaks out

Maryam Al- Khawaja, 24, is the daughter of prominent Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja is the Head of the Foreign Relations Office Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and a prominent human rights campaigner herself.

Maryam can't go back home, she fears Bahraini authorities will jail her as soon as she sets foot in her country, just as they did to her father and sister.

Earlier this year, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja was arrested, beaten and later sentenced to life imprisonment. Her 28-year-old sister Zainab al-Khawaja was jailed less than two weeks ago as she was taking part in a pro-democracy demonstration in Bahrain's capital Manama.

Just days before being arrested, Zainab - whose husband is also in jail - did an interview with New York Times reporter and opinionist Nicholas Kristoff, in which she spoke about the regime's human rights violations and abuses.


Interview and multimedia production: Maria Caspani
Creative direction: Natasha Elkington
Photography: Reuters
Music: Kevin McLeod
© 2011 Thomson Reuters Foundation
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[mohamed hamid]

Why don't you people fight for the Allah's Shariah to be established, instead of fighting for Wealth and Democracy, Ain't you people worried when you stand infront of Allah after you die. What will you tell him, i was fighting for democracy!!!. Democracy is a kafir way of Governance! Lets Wake up and lets be Islamic Nationalist instead of Arab and Bahraini Nationalist!!

[mohamed hamid]

Free Syrian Army Comprised of Civilians and Defected Army Members who refused to shoot protesters.

They took up arms against the Government after they indiscriminately shot Protesters.

If the government had used Diplomacy instead of an Iron fist the situation wud not have reached to this Magnitude. If the Bahraini Government uses the same force as Assad did. The country cud also plunge into Civil War.

[aboorules]

MARYAM Al-KHAWAJA IS A LYING COW. SITTING ON IRAN'S LAP. BAHRAIN IS NOT LIKE IRAN OR EGYPT TO OVERTHROW THE KINGS OVERNIGHT. BAHRAIN RULERS HAVE A HISTORY IN BUILDING BAHRAIN. . SO GO SUCK ON THOSE FUNDAMENTALIST IRANIANS INSTEAD. AND STOP YOUR CHEAP STREET PROPAGANDA. WHY DON'T YOU TALK ABOUT THE BOMBING ATTEMPTS MADE BY THOSE SAME FREEDOM FIGHTERS TO BLOW THE F1 CIRCUIT AND THE CAUSEWAY BRIDGE.WHAT ABOUT THOSE TERRORIST ACTS YOU DUMB COW. AND LEARN HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH.

[mohamed hamid]

U kip on Calling me Wahhabi and you say i hate because of Religion? What an Irony!

Hosni Mubarak was a Sunni, bt we neva supported him becoz he is a Sunni. Ben Ali was a Sunni and we never supported him.

A Tyrant will always be a Tyrant whether he Sunni or Shia.

It is u Shias dat support anyone who is a Shia irrespective whether he is Tyrants who kills thousands of Human beings and destroys his own Country through Bombardment and Air strikes.

U shud hate tyrants which evr religion dey belong to.

[mohamed hamid]

If you read my comment properly you will see i said DEATH TO TYRANTS. If your Government is Run by a Tyrant then it applies to him.

Maybe you not are aware of whats happening In Syria do you?

You blindly Support Assad execution of Civilians just because he Happens to be a Shia.

Well did you not Know he Consider himself as God?

If i am a Wahhabi then you are a RAFIDHI MAJUSI

[mohamed hamid]

Where have i used Religion?

Death to all Tyrants Including Bloody Assad!!

[dontdoitnow]

these women will give birth to lions

[sam cuta]

غير متحضر وجاهل الي زيك لايقعد على النت

[AMANAA1000]

we dont shiasm in bahrain

In shaa Allah we will not have iran in bahrain

i hate everybody