Bahraini Activist Blocked from Boarding Flight to Manama

Bahraini activist Maryam al-Khawaja, daughter of imprisoned activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, was denied boarding a flight from London to Bahrain as she attempted to return to the Gulf state to advocate for her father's release. She claims that her father, who is on a hunger strike, is being denied urgent medical treatment. Other activists, including Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard, were also denied boarding. The Bahraini government stated that it reserves the right to refuse entry if necessary. The decision to prevent Maryam al-Khawaja and the human rights delegation from traveling to Bahrain has been criticized as an attempt to silence criticism of human rights violations in the country.