A Call for Support for Swedish Citizen and Political Prisoner Khalil Al-Halwachi

 
SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights and European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights has reached out to the Swedish Foreign Minister, Margot Walls tröm, urging her to work on the case of Khalil Al-Halwachi, a Swedish citizen that is currently a political prisoner in Bahrain.
Mr Al-Halwachi was recently on a hunger strike for 22 days in Dry Dock Prison in Bahrain, in an attempt to shed light on the inhumane conditions in the prison.
Mr Al-Halwachi has confirmed that the security staff systematically apply group punishments against detainees and engages in various torture practices. Many of the prisoners, including Khalil, belong to the political opposition. Among the punishments, Mr Al-Halwachi states that he can hear screams from prisoners in other wards, prisoners are regularly placed in solitary confinement, are subjected to physical and psychological abuse, receive constant threats, and have been denied visits from family.
The demands from the hunger-striking prisoners include putting an end to the torture and other degrading treatment, to allow contact and visits by family, and improvement of prison conditions.
The letter encouraged the Swedish authorities to take a clearer stance on Mr Al-Halwachi’s grave case, and stressed disappointment of the current apathetic attitude.
SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights and European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights believe that it is the responsibility of Sweden to, in accordance with democratic and humanitarian values, highlight and work with the humanitarian case of Mr Al-Halwachi.