Danish Prime Minister urged Bahrain on Tuesday to release the prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, saying he was in a very critical condition, two months after he went on a hunger strike.Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt told reporters that Denmark is using its international contacts to press for his release.
"What we're hearing now is that al-Khawaja's condition is very critical. And we continue our efforts at all levels," she said.
Meanwhile, Danish Foreign Ministry said the Danish ambassador to Bahrain visited al-Khawaja, who holds the Danish nationality, at a military hospital in Manama on Tuesday.
"They talked for about 20 minutes," said Ole Egberg Mikkelsen, a Danish Foreign Ministry official, adding the embassy was awaiting approval for another visit Wednesday.
Human rights organizations have urged Bahrain to free al-Khawaja immediately because of fears he could die. A statement by the London-based Amnesty International on Tuesday said the activist's "health is rapidly deteriorating as he passes his 60th day of hunger strike."The Bahraini regime on Monday claimed al-Khawaja was in a “good health”. It said the activist “showed no signs of critical problems and is taking fluids orally or by an IV drip”.
The Bahraini hunger striker along with seven other opposition leaders were sentenced to life in prison for anti-state crimes last year in a special security court that was set up after Bahrain imposed martial law last March to quell popular uprising that started in February 2011.
He is a former Middle East and North Africa director of the Ireland-based Frontline Defenders Rights organization. He has been refusing food since Feb. 8.
Source: Agencies
11-04-2012 - 10:34 Last updated 11-04-2012 - 10:34
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