Urgent Action: Abdulhadi Alkhawaja Collapses in Prison

Abdulhadi al Khawaja

Political prisoner Abdulhadi Alkhawaja collapsed last night in prison, and was taken to the hospital where he was given IV treatment without his consent. His lawyer, Mohammed AlJishi, said after meeting him this morning that Alkhawaja had serious signs of fatigue and had difficulty moving and walking. Both his family and colleagues are very concerned about his life and health.

Mr. Alkhawaja has been in prison since April 9, 2011 and has been sentenced to life imprisonment after a grossly unfair trial. At the time of his arrest he was so badly beaten that he required a four hour operation in the military hospital. He was subsequently subjected to further torture. He was initially held incommunicado and denied access to his lawyer and family.

He began his current open-ended hunger strike last week as his way of joining the escalating protests as the ongoing revolution reached its one-year mark.

Mr. Alkhawaja’s daughter, Zainab, was arrested on Sunday at a protest in the capital, and on Monday was sent for seven days’ interrogation. Mr. Alkhawaja’s younger brother, Salah Alkhawaja (sentenced to five years), has joined his hunger strike.

Please join the campaign to free all the Alkhawaja family members.