Ali Alhajee
Ali Alhajee is a human rights defender and former political prisoner, who spent over 10 years imprisoned by Bahrain authorities on charges related to peaceful protests. Since his release in June 2023, Ali Alhajee has been a prominent voice calling attention to the human rights violations in the Bahraini prison system, strongly advocating for the rights of political prisoners, including children. He has also been advocating for released prisoners’ rights to higher education, which Bahraini universities have prohibited in the past, in addition to defending their rights to housing and calling for them to regain their previous employment.
Following the eruption of protests in February 2011 against government corruption and discrimination of the Shi'a majority population, the situation for human rights defenders in Bahrain became even more dangerous and difficult. Faced with widespread protests and unrest, the authorities responded with harsh measures and a crackdown on protesters, civil society leaders, human rights defenders and pro democracy activists. Human rights defenders were tried in military courts, often charged with fabricated crimes, and given hugely disproportionate sentences. Furthermore many have been ill-treated and tortured in detention, have been held incommunicado and denied access to family and lawyers, while confessions made under duress have been admitted as evidence in court in contravention of international law.
