Stop Fundamentalism – Amnesty International called for the release of the Bahraini female activist, and blogger Zainab Al-Khawaja today who was seen dragged away by Bahrain government forces in a peaceful demonstration. She was then reportedly beaten away from the view of the cameras.
Al-Khawaja is the daughter of the prominent human rights and opposition activist Abdelhadi al-Khawaja. Her father and husband were already in prison arrested for attending demonstrations earlier this year.
A video clip showed her as she was bravely sitting in the square on her own in protest and then she was handcuffed and taken away by the police. She was dragged on the ground using the handcuffs into the police car.
Amnesty also says that it has received reports that Al-Khawaja was severely beaten after being taken into the custody of the police. Amnesty also says that a friend of her, Ma’suma Sayyid Sharaf was arrested as she was trying to prevent her arrest.
The anti-government sit-in at the square was organized by several women but after the police raided the peaceful demonstration using teargas and sound bombs, the other protesters dispersed but Al-Khawaja did not move.
Zainab Al-Khawaja blogs and tweets under the name ‘Angry Arabiya’.
