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Bahrain: Amnesty renews call to free jailed teachers' union chief | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Rights group Amnesty International has renewed its call for the release of the jailed president of the Bahrain Teachers Association, Mahdi Abu Dheeb. | Rights group Amnesty International has renewed its call for the release of the jailed president of the Bahrain Teachers Association, Mahdi Abu Dheeb. |
Mr Abu Dheeb was convicted by a military court of plotting to overthrow the government during unrest that swept Bahrain in 2011. | Mr Abu Dheeb was convicted by a military court of plotting to overthrow the government during unrest that swept Bahrain in 2011. |
His original 10-year sentence was subsequently reduced to five on appeal. | His original 10-year sentence was subsequently reduced to five on appeal. |
Amnesty has described Mr Abu Dheeb as a "prisoner of conscience". | Amnesty has described Mr Abu Dheeb as a "prisoner of conscience". |
Both Mr Abu Dheeb and his vice-president Jalila al-Salman allege they were tortured in detention after calling for a strike by teachers in March 2011 in support of pro-democracy activists who had taken over a prominent landmark, Pearl Roundabout, in the capital, Manama. | Both Mr Abu Dheeb and his vice-president Jalila al-Salman allege they were tortured in detention after calling for a strike by teachers in March 2011 in support of pro-democracy activists who had taken over a prominent landmark, Pearl Roundabout, in the capital, Manama. |
The Bahrain Teachers Association was dissolved by the government after its leaders were arrested. | The Bahrain Teachers Association was dissolved by the government after its leaders were arrested. |
Ms Salman was originally sentenced to three years in jail but that was reduced to six months on appeal. | Ms Salman was originally sentenced to three years in jail but that was reduced to six months on appeal. |
However in March this year she was sacked from her teaching job after criticising Bahrain's human rights record at a conference in Washington DC. | However in March this year she was sacked from her teaching job after criticising Bahrain's human rights record at a conference in Washington DC. |
In a statement timed to coincide with 1 May, International Workers' Day, Amnesty said: "All that they did was call for a strike in their role as trade union leaders. Mahdi and Jalila were punished for doing their job. This May Day stand with workers across the world and demand Mahdi's release." | In a statement timed to coincide with 1 May, International Workers' Day, Amnesty said: "All that they did was call for a strike in their role as trade union leaders. Mahdi and Jalila were punished for doing their job. This May Day stand with workers across the world and demand Mahdi's release." |
Mr Abu Dheeb's daughter, Maryam, in a recorded message accompanying the statement, said: "Silence is a crime." | Mr Abu Dheeb's daughter, Maryam, in a recorded message accompanying the statement, said: "Silence is a crime." |
She urged people to speak up and "take a step and show you care about what is going on in my country". | She urged people to speak up and "take a step and show you care about what is going on in my country". |
Teachers' organisations around the world, as well as human rights campaigners, have called for Mr Abu Dheeb's release. | Teachers' organisations around the world, as well as human rights campaigners, have called for Mr Abu Dheeb's release. |
The Bahraini authorities did not respond to a request from the BBC to comment on the Amnesty International statement. | The Bahraini authorities did not respond to a request from the BBC to comment on the Amnesty International statement. |
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