December Champions for Justice: The al-Khawaja Family

Among the thousands of Bahraini citizens who participated in peaceful protests to call for political reforms and respect for human rights, the al-Khawaja family has been at the forefront of the ongoing struggle for human rights reform in Bahrain. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Salah al-Khawaja, Zainab al-Khawaja, and Maryam al-Khawaja have taken on an active role in[…]

November Champions for Justice: Athletes

November 2015 – Athletes and sports figures have played an active part in Bahrain’s pro-democracy movement since it began in February 2011, and the Bahraini government has punished them harshly for it. Police arrested and suspended over 150 athletes, sports personalities, and club staff in relation to the protests. Those arrested include 27 members of[…]

September Champions for Justice: Bahrain’s Imprisoned Politicians

Last year marked the first general elections to be held in Bahrain since the pro-democracy uprising of 2011. Since the election, which has been named amongst the worst elections in 2014 alongside those in Syria and Afghanistan, the Government of Bahrain has infringed on the freedoms of political opposition societies across the political spectrum. Al-Wefaq,[…]

August Champions for Justice: Bahrain’s Student Prisoners

Since 2011, students and children in Bahrain have faced arbitrary charges and detention related to their freedoms of expression and assembly. Some have been arrested for participating in pro-democracy protests; others have been detained for apparently no reason at all. Bahraini authorities have treated preteen and teenage citizens as enemies, subjecting them to maltreatment, impeding[…]

July Champions for Justice: Bahrain’s Death Row Prisoners

In Bahrain, political dissidence can be punishable by death. The Government of Bahrain employ the threat of capital punishment as a means of political intimidation. Between 2011 and 2014, Bahraini courts handed down 11 death sentences; in the last six months, they have handed down at least four more. Disproportionately, these sentences have been based[…]