Maryam Al-Khawaja, a Bahraini human rights defender, the daughter of the prominent Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, head of the foreign relations office, vice president for the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and the acting President of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights since Nabeel Rajab was arrested, was detained at Bahrain International Airport on 30 August.
Bahrain government arrested Maryam for leading a campaign called Wanted for Justice and also insulting the king.
Unlike the Saudi government who hides its human rights violations, arrests, funding terror and so on by generous donations and meaningless laws and statements, the Bahraini government uses its international immunity and world’s silence to publicize its violations towards Shia Muslims. This governments arrest and detailing of a young woman who’s human rights leadership has threatened Bahrain has changed the international image of this country.
Arresting such well known human rights defender and charging her for her campaign suggests Bahrain government is proudly accepting its violations toward the Shia majority of this country and has reason to hide under humanitarian aids of the Saudi king.
It would be interesting to see the reaction of international committees and the Obama administration who have thus far given this ally the freedom of violation by their friendship and silence. Such arrest can play an important role in sifting many who claim respect for human dignity, American values, or human rights. The fact that Maryam has not done any crime is clear to all, and all know she is only a peaceful rights defender, so is anyone defending her now?
