Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Jalila Al-Salman, deputy president of Bahrain Teachers Association, received the 2015 Arthur Svensson Prize for Trade Union Rights this week in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, which was awarded to the leader of the Bahrain Teachers Association, detainee Mahdi Abu Dheeb and deputy Jalila Al-Salman.

The committee of "Arthur Svensson Prize for Trade Union Rights" announced on February 18, 2015 that the international honor recognizes Mahdi Abu Dheeb and Jalila al-Salman for "their encouragement of strike actions among teachers despite the personal risks they faced, including imprisonment and torture."

The committee that consists of 7 prominent figures of the Norwegian union movement tackled the torture and humiliation that both Abu Dheeb and Al-Salman received at the hands of the authorities since the eruption of protests in 2011 after calling for strikes.

"Abu Dheeb is serving a five-year-prison sentence. His health condition worsens steadily. He does not receive essential and critical medical aid. His deputy Al-Salman was dismissed from work and imprisoned for about 6 months," the committee highlighted.

The Svensson Prize, established by the Norwegian union, Industri Energi, in 2010, is awarded annually to a person or organization that has worked predominately to promote trade union rights and/or strengthen trade union organizations.

The Arabic Issue