Bahrain Mirror: The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) expressed serious concerns about the health of its two Founding Directors Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab, who are suffering behind bars

The center said in a statement on Thursday (April 13, 2017) that Rajab and Al-Khawaja "both men require urgent medical attention as Rajab is recovering from surgery last week, while Al-Khawaja is in danger of losing his eyesight, in addition to other risks to his health as he begins a hunger strike."

Maryam Al-Khawaja, daughter of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, reported: "For the past three weeks my father has been having serious problems with his right eye. After daylight he loses complete vision, and during the day he can't see well. He has headaches on the right side of his head and behind his right eye."

The GCHR's other Founding Director, Nabeel Rajab, is also suffering in jail. A day after undergoing surgery for a bleeding ulcer on his back on 05 April 2017, Rajab was returned to West Riffa police station, where is routinely held in solitary confinement. According to his family, after the surgery Rajab "was forced to stay with dirty clothes with blood all over it and denied any hygienic products for two days." He has "a deep and open wound which causes severe pain and needs constant care and what's worsening the situation is that he has a weak immune system." On 08 April, he was rushed to the police hospital, where he remains for treatment of his infected wound. He should not have been taken back to jail after surgery due to the risk of infection.

At the end of the statement, the GCHR urged supporters tweet and call on the authorities in Bahrain to "immediately and unconditionally free Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab from prison; allow Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and Nabeel Rajab unhindered access to medical care, including immediately transferring them to the hospital; and guarantee in all circumstances that human rights defenders in Bahrain are able to carry out their legitimate activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment."

Arabic Version