Got a huge shock when I heard our friend Abdulhadi had been shot in Bahrain, but I just spoke with him and he insisted he wasn't hurt seriously, just a couple of birdshot pellets fired from some distance. He is much more worried about the attacks on protesters and their lack of access to the hospitals which have been closed off by the Bahraini/Saudi military.

It is hugely disappointing that the EU and the US do not seem to be responding more actively to this brutal crackdown against peaceful protesters. The Bahraini human rights defenders believe the visit of US Defense Secretary Gates "gave a green light for the crackdown," although Gates himself was quoted as saying that "baby steps" to reform was not enough.

Secretary of State Clinton visited Tahrir square in Egypt today and reportedly said: “To see where this revolution happened, and all that it has meant to the world, is extraordinary for me.” It is cruelly ironic that whilst she spoke the armed forces of two US allies, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, were brutally clearing the Pearl Square in Manama.

Got a huge shock when I heard our friend Abdulhadi had been shot in Bahrain, but I just spoke with him and he insisted he wasn't hurt seriously, just a couple of birdshot pellets fired from some distance. He is much more worried about the attacks on protesters and their lack of access to the hospitals which have been closed off by the Bahraini/Saudi military.

It is hugely disappointing that the EU and the US do not seem to be responding more actively to this brutal crackdown against peaceful protesters. The Bahraini human rights defenders believe the visit of US Defense Secretary Gates "gave a green light for the crackdown," although Gates himself was quoted as saying that "baby steps" to reform was not enough.

Secretary of State Clinton visited Tahrir square in Egypt today and reportedly said: “To see where this revolution happened, and all that it has meant to the world, is extraordinary for me.” It is cruelly ironic that whilst she spoke the armed forces of two US allies, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, were brutally clearing the Pearl Square in Manama.

Hectic times in Geneva this week, loads of events/meetings with Human Rights Defenders who are here to try to get action from the international community on their situations and those of their communities. Particularly inspiring is Karmen Ramirez Boscan from the Wayuu indigenous people -a woman human rights defender in Colombia working against exploitation by a multinational open mining company called El Cerrejon and also denouncing the killing of up to 250 young people. She has to move all the time and cannot stay in the same place due to the risk she faces. The office also is targeted - if she goes there, the security system is activated -, not to protect her and her colleagues rather to alert the hostile forces. One week ago the anti narcotic police,who accuse them of being drug pushers, put a bomb in the community which destroyed the tracks for their horses and killed a 2 year old toddler.

Hectic times in Geneva this week, loads of events/meetings with Human Rights Defenders who are here to try to get action from the international community on their situations and those of their communities. Particularly inspiring is Karmen Ramirez Boscan from the Wayuu indigenous people -a woman human rights defender in Colombia working against exploitation by a multinational open mining company called El Cerrejon and also denouncing the killing of up to 250 young people. She has to move all the time and cannot stay in the same place due to the risk she faces. The office also is targeted - if she goes there, the security system is activated -, not to protect her and her colleagues rather to alert the hostile forces. One week ago the anti narcotic police,who accuse them of being drug pushers, put a bomb in the community which destroyed the tracks for their horses and killed a 2 year old toddler.

At the moment there are many unconfirmed reports of heavy firing in Bahrain as the police open fire on demonstrators near the royal palace. Just last night we received reports of death threats against three prominent human rights defenders,Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Mohammed Al-Maskati and Naji Fateel. Abdulhadi Al Khawaja is a former staff member of Front Line - he was Front line's Protection Coordinator for the Middle East region. It would be a tragedy if the ongoing political negotiations were to end in all out violence.

At the moment there are many unconfirmed reports of heavy firing in Bahrain as the police open fire on demonstrators near the royal palace. Just last night we received reports of death threats against three prominent human rights defenders,Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, Mohammed Al-Maskati and Naji Fateel. Abdulhadi Al Khawaja is a former staff member of Front Line - he was Front line's Protection Coordinator for the Middle East region. It would be a tragedy if the ongoing political negotiations were to end in all out violence.

Front Line has received reports of a limited pardon in Syria according to which certain categories of people, including those over 70 or in bad health will be released. According to reports received Haitham Al Maleh. For some time Haitham Al Maleh has been in bad health and only recently, as a concession to his advanced years and state of health, was he given a bed to sleep on.

Haitham Al-Maleh is a 79 year old lawyer and human rights defender who is a founding member and ex-director of the Human Rights Association in Syria. Haitham al-Maleh was originally arrested on 14 October 2009 by Syrian security personnel in Damascus and had a preliminary military court hearing on 20 October 2009. On 31 January 2010, the Court of Cessation in Syria rejected Haitham al-Maleh's appeal against the decision by the Supreme Military Investigation Judge in Damascus to confirm the charges against him of “conveying false news within Syria that could debilitate the morale of the nation” and “insulting the president”.

Previous Front Line update on the case of Haitham Al Maleh

Front Line has received reports of a limited pardon in Syria according to which certain categories of people, including those over 70 or in bad health will be released. According to reports received Haitham Al Maleh. For some time Haitham Al Maleh has been in bad health and only recently, as a concession to his advanced years and state of health, was he given a bed to sleep on.

Haitham Al-Maleh is a 79 year old lawyer and human rights defender who is a founding member and ex-director of the Human Rights Association in Syria. Haitham al-Maleh was originally arrested on 14 October 2009 by Syrian security personnel in Damascus and had a preliminary military court hearing on 20 October 2009. On 31 January 2010, the Court of Cessation in Syria rejected Haitham al-Maleh's appeal against the decision by the Supreme Military Investigation Judge in Damascus to confirm the charges against him of “conveying false news within Syria that could debilitate the morale of the nation” and “insulting the president”.

Previous Front Line update on the case of Haitham Al Maleh

Ali Abdulemam was one of 11 human rights defenders and 12 political activists detained on spurious charges of participation in a terrorist conspiracy in Bahrain.

Ali was kept in solitary confinement and sometimes tortured In this interview you can read his description of his experiences before his release.

Released blogger Ali Abdulemam speaks about his experiences in prison

Ali Abdulemam was one of 11 human rights defenders and 12 political activists detained on spurious charges of participation in a terrorist conspiracy in Bahrain.

Ali was kept in solitary confinement and sometimes tortured. In this interview you can read his description of his experiences before his release.

Released blogger Ali Abdulemam speaks about his experiences in prison