Closed - Bahrain: release opposition activists
This action is now closed. Thank you to all those who added their names to this petition. We will pass your names to the King of Bahrain.
Update: 7 January 2013
This morning the latest appeal attempt by the 13 men was rejected by a Bahrain court.
The unjust decision further challenges the credibility of the Bahraini judiciary and we continue to call for the immediate release of all 13 men. Read our full statement
Background
Last year 14 men were arrested and sent to prison by a military court for taking part in anti-government protests. One of these men is Abdulhadi al-Khawaja (pictured) who spent 110 days on hunger strike in protest at their imprisonment.
One of the men, Al-Hur Yousef al-Somaikh, was released in April 2012 after his two-year sentence was reduced to six months. However we consider the 13 men who remain behind bars prisoners of conscience and are calling for their immediate release.On 4 September 2012 Bahrain’s High Criminal Court of Appeal up held their convictions. This is an outrageous decision and leaves them facing years behind bars.
'My father has risked his life to defend human rights. He may die an innocent man in prison. Demand his release before it is too late' – Maryam al-Khawaja
Find out more about the human rights situation in Bahrain
