Denmark calls for Bahrain prisoner transfer

Bahrain has received a request from Denmark to transfer political prisoner Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja to the European country, following his two-month hunger strike. Foreign Affairs minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa received a written message from his Danish counterpart Villy Sovndal this weekend, asking for Khawaja to be moved to Denmark in light of his Danish nationality. The Gulf Kingdom is thought to be considering the transfer, according to a report by the state news agency. Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja has been on hunger strike for 58 days after being given a life sentence for his part in anti-government protests last year. The demonstrations, which kicked off in February inspired by uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, were led by the country’s Shia Muslim majority in protest against the autocratic rule of Bahrain’s Sunni leaders. More than 40 are reported to have been killed on the island after its rulers called in Gulf troops and imposed martial law in a bid to quell the unrest. Khawaja, who has been moved to a hospital clinic and is now being fed intravenously, was convicted in a special security court in June of trying to overthrow the Gulf state’s Sunni royal family. Human rights charity Amnesty International has since called for his release, saying his conviction was unfair and there was no evidence of him using violence during anti-government protests. Hi daughter Zainab has also been leading demonstrations against his incarceration. She was arrested at a rally on Thursday for allegedly assaulting a public employee, but was later allowed to go free. She has promised to continue campaigning for her father’s freedom amid his deteriorating condition.