URGENT ACTION: Release jailed Bahraini teachers

URGENT ACTION: Release jailed Bahraini teachers

Education International has issued an urgent action appeal calling on the Bahraini government to immediately release Jalila al-Salman, and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheep, vice president and president of the Bahrain Teachers' Association (BTA) from prison.

Jalila and Mahdi were arrested and jailed with other union colleagues back in March in the wake of the popular uprisings, and have awaited trial ever since. Jalila began a hunger strike in protest at her continued incarceration on 3 August 2011.

Amnesty International has also released an urgent action appeal for their release stating that, 'they are likely to be prisoners of conscience, detained solely for exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly as leading members of the BTA'.

The government has also attempted to dissolve the BTA and replace its leaders with others more amenable to the regime.

Please sign and circulate the Education International Urgent Appeal calling on the Bahraini authorities to release them and cease its attacks on trade unions and workers' rights.

For more information:

Amnesty International's urgent Action appeal for Jalila and Mahdi

Bahrain: Imprisoned activists on hunger strike

TUC letter of protest to the Bahrain Embassy

Bahrain entry: ITUC Annual Survey of Trade Union Violations

Bahrain: EI calls for detained teachers to be released