BAHRAIN.— Authorities have arrested blogger and human rights activist Zainab Al-Khawaja after security forces clashed with protesters during a demonstration in Manama.
Al-Khawaja, daughter of a prominent opposition leader, and several other women had refused to leave a sit-in in the Budaiya roundabout.
Al-Khawaja was handcuffed and taken away by police along with one other woman.
Bahrain’s interior ministry reported that Al-Khawaja and the other woman were arrested for taking part in an “illegal gathering”.
Authorities also claimed that one of the women had “attacked” a female police officer during the protest, no images of an attack on an officer have been released however.
A video posted online by opposition demonstrators shows the arrest of Al-Khawaja.
The video shows Zainab being dragged away from the demonstration by police.
At one point in the video, it appears that Al-Khawaja is punched by a female officer participating in the arrest.
One of the activists who recorded the protest claims that he was interrogated at a police station after the demonstration and authorities confiscated both of his phones.
According to witnesses, prior to the arrests security forces had fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the hundreds of protesters trying to block the road.
Adam Ellick, a New York Times journalist, reported that gas was “fired directly at 15 guys sipping coffee outside. None were protesting.”
December 17, 2011 at 9:37 am
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