Prominent Bahraini activist in hospital over his health condition

Jailed Bahraini activist Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja

Detained Bahraini human rights activist Abdul Hadi al-Khawaja, who is on a hunger strike in protest against the Al Khalifa regime, has been transferred to a military hospital.

Zeinab al-Khawaja said on Saturday that her father's health condition has deteriorated and necessitated his hospitalization.

The revelation comes less than a day after rights group Amnesty International urged the Manama regime to release al-Khawaja over his serious health condition.

The NGO warned about the deteriorating health condition of Khawaja, who has lost 16 kilos during his hunger strike over the past seven weeks.

Khawaja has been held since last April after he was arrested on charges of organizing and participating in rallies against the regime.

The activist is among the thousands of people arrested since the ruling Al Khalifa family, backed by Saudi Arabia and a number of other Arab neighbors, launched a deadly crackdown on peaceful protesters in March 2011.

On Thursday, thousands of Bahraini people gathered outside the United Nations headquarters in the capital, Manama, calling on the world body to help release political prisoners.

The protesters also condemned the violation of their rights by the regime and called the UN help put an end to the ongoing crackdowns in the Persian Gulf island nation.

Scores of people have been killed in the violent repression of protests which erupted in mid-February 2011 to demand the ruling Al Khalifa family to step down.
sOURCE: http://presstv.com/detail/233967.html