Abdulhadi al-Khawaja

Abdulhadi Abdulla Hubail Alkhawaja (Arabic: عبد الهادي عبد الله حبيل الخواجة‎) is one of the most prominent Bahraini-Danish human rights activists. He is currently in prison in Bahrain following the repression on pro-democracy protests in the Bahraini uprising. He is former president and co-founder of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), a nonprofit non-governmental organisation which works to promote human rights in Bahrain. He has held a number of positions and played various roles in regional and international human rights organizations.

On 9 April 2011, Alkhawaja was arrested and tried as part of a campaign of repression by the Bahraini authorities following pro-democracy protests in the Bahraini uprising. Front Line Defenders expressed fear for his life following allegations of torture and sexual assault in detention. Alkhawaja was eventually sentenced on 22 June 2011, along with eight other activists, to life imprisonment. On 8 February 2012, he started an open-ended hunger strike until "freedom or death" protesting continuing detentions in Bahrain. As of 23 April 2012, Alkhawaja had been on hunger strike for 2 months and 16 days.

Until February 2011, Alkhawaja was the Middle East and North Africa Protection Coordinator with Front Line Defenders – the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders. He is also a member of the International Advisory Network in the Business and Human Rights Resource Center chaired by Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Alkhawaja is a member of the Advisory Board of the Damascus Center for Human Rights Studies and also an expert adviser for and member of the coordinating committee of The Arab Group for Monitoring Media Performance monitoring the media in Bahrain and six other Arab countries. Alkhawaja was part of Amnesty international’s fact finding mission in Iraq. He has been a researcher and project consultant for Amnesty International and other international organizations. His human rights campaigning activities have been acknowledged by the International Conference of Human Rights Defenders in Dublin and he was named by the Arab Program for Human Rights Defenders as its Regional Activist of 2005.

Early Life

After finishing high school in Bahrain in 1977, Alkhawaja traveled to the UK to continue his further education. In 1979, he took part in student activities in London in reaction to demonstrations and arrests in Bahrain. Many students abroad, including Alkhawaja, were denied renewal of their passports and asked to return home. In the summer of 1980, after fellow students had been detained and interrogated under torture for their activities in London and his family’s house had been ransacked and searched, Alkhawaja, fearing detention if he went back to Bahrain, decided to remain abroad.

Disappearance

On April 25, 2012, Alkhawaja was reportedly missing from his bed in the BDF hospital (AKA the military hospital).

His wife Khadija Almousawi said on her Twitter account that since Monday, April 23, she had no news from her husband. She called the military hospital on 25 April, only to be told by a nurse that no one was in the room

Alkhawaja told his family on April 17 that he had removed the intravenous drip keeping him alive. Two days later, during the Bahrain Grand Prix, he decided to stop drinking water and asked to see his lawyer to write his will. He was refused permission to do so.

From : www.wikipedia.org

Khalifa ibn Salman Al Khalifa

Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa (Arabic: خليفة بن سلمان آل خليفة‎) (born 24 November 1935) is the Prime Minister of Bahrain since 1971, hence is the longest-serving unelected prime minister in the world. He still retains his post, although under the 2002 Constitution he has lost some of his power on paper, with King Hamad having the authority to appoint and (along with the Bahraini parliament) dismiss ministers.

Early Life and Education

He was born in Doha, Qatar, the 2nd son of Sheikh Salman ibn Hamad Al Khalifa, Hakim of Bahrain, and wife Sheikha Mouza. He was educated at Manama High School and Rifa’a Palace School in Bahrain.

Khalifa is the uncle of the reigning King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa.

Career

He was Member of the Education Council from 1956 to 1957 and Chair between 1957 and 1960. Next he was subsequently Director of the Finance Department (1960–1966), Director of Finance and President of the Electricity Board (1961), Chair Manama Municipality (1962–1967), Head of the Bahrain Monetary Council (1965), Chair of the Joint Committee for Economic & Financial Studies, Committee for the Register of Commerce, Administry Council (1967–1970), and Bahrain Monetary Agency, President of the State Council (1970–1973), Head of the State Council (1970), Prime Minister since 1971, and Head of the Supreme Defence Council (1978).

Khalifa was appointed as Prime Minister by his brother, Emir Isa ibn Salman Al Khalifa, in 1971.

Marriage and children

Khalifa married at Muharraq with Sheikha Hessa bint Ali Al Khalifa, the fourth daughter of Sheikh Ali bin Hamad Al Khalifa. They had three sons and one daughter:

    * HH Sheikh Mohammad bin Khalifa Al Khalifa (died 14 June 1974)

    * HH Sheikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa - Third Deputy Prime Minister. He married Sheikha Zayn bint Khalid Al Khalifa with whom he has two sons:

          o Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali Al Khalifa

          o Sheikh Isa bin Ali Al Khalifa

    * HH Sheikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa

    * HH Sheikha Lulwa bint Khalifa Al Khalifa - Honorary President of the Al Noor Beneficence Society. She married His Excellency Shaikh Rashid bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, prominent Bahraini artist and patron of the arts (born 1952). They have three sons and three daughters.

From : www.wikipedia.org

Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain (Arabic: سلمان بن حمد آل خليفة‎) (born 21 October 1969) is the heir apparent of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and is deputy supreme commander of the Bahrain defence force. Prince Salman is the eldest son of the current king of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and his first wife Queen Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa.

Education

Salman completed his high school education at Bahrain School, and then went on to earn a BA degree in Political Science from the American University in Washington D.C. (1992), followed by a MPhil degree in History and philosophy of science from the University of Cambridge, England (1994). He has since participated in numerous seminars addressing Persian Gulf security issues and Middle East affairs.

Salman established the Crown Prince’s International Scholarship Programme to guide Bahrain’s young people in to the 21st century. Under the programme, the most able high school students from Bahrain are awarded scholarships to continue their higher education overseas, and return to productively contribute to the building of the country’s economy. By allowing the country’s brightest pupils to benefit from foreign expertise and to broaden their experience abroad, it is hoped to prepare young Bahrainis for the challenges of the modern job market, and in particular for employment in fields such as information technology, finance and law.

Unfortunately many scholarships were revoked for Bahraini students participating at the pro-democracy protests in Manchester and London. However, no Crown Prince Scholar had her/his scholarship revoked. On Wednesday 20 April 2011, an open letter produced by National Union of Students Executive member Mark Bergfeld and activists at the University of Manchester Students Union called upon the UK government to provide financial support and protection to Bahraini students in the UK. The letter states, “Universal access to education is a right and should not be denied as a punishment for participating in protest,” and points out that the government has already agreed to provide similar support for Libyan students in the UK at risk of punishment from the Gaddafi regime.  Previously revoked scholarships were later reinstated.

Career

Prior to assuming the duties of crown prince, Salman was vice-chairman of the Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research (BCSR) (1992–1995), undersecretary of defence at the Ministry of Defence (1995–1999), and chairman of the board of trustees of the BCSR (1995–1999).

Salman was sworn in as Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Bahrain on 9 March 1999 and held the post of commander-in-chief of the Bahrain Defence Force from 22 March 1999 to 6 January 2008.

On 24 February 2001, Salman was appointed as chairman of the committee for the implementation of the National Action Charter. The Charter was approved by over 98% in a referendum held in February 2001 and provided a comprehensive blueprint for Bahrain’s future development based on transparency, cooperation and popular participation. The committee proposed a number of laws to implement the National Charter, including laws on government procurements and freedom of the press.

On 3 March 2002, Salman was installed to the post of chairman of the Economic Development Board, which is responsible for formulating and overseeing the Bahrain’s economic development strategy, and aims to attract foreign direct investment to Bahrain. Salman has played a major role in promoting national dialogue regarding economic and labor market reforms.

Salman is also chairman of the housing and urban development committee and the gas committee.

On 6 January 2008, his father, the king, issued a royal decree installing Salman to the post of deputy supreme commander of the Bahrain defence force to oversee the management and implementation of public policy as well as military, administrative, economic and financial plans of the Bahrain defence force and the national guard.

Sports enthusiast

Salman is chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, which oversees sports in Bahrain as well as the extracurricular activities of Bahrain’s youth, which has embarked on a programme to upgrade the sporting facilities in Bahrain.

Salman also spearheaded a major national initiative to bring Formula One racing to Bahrain and the Middle East, initiating the construction of the Bahrain International Circuit. On 4 April 2004, the Bahrain Grand Prix became the first Formula One grand prix to be held in the Middle East.

Salman holds PADI Advanced Open Water Diver scuba diving certification, is a motorsport enthusiast, and enjoys skeet shooting, computers, sports cars, and motorcycles.

Marriage and children

Prince Salman is married to HH Sheikha Hala bent Daij Al Khalifa, who is the youngest daughter of HE Sheikh Duaij bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, the Assistant Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Finance & National Economy. Sheikha Hala herself is Honorary President of the Information Centre for Women & Children, and Chair of the Bahrain Society for Mental Retardation. They have two sons and two daughters:

    * HH Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, currently attending American University in Washington DC.

    * HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Salman Al Khalifa (born 1991), educated at Bahrain School (Class of 2009). Graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2011.

    * HH Sheikha Fatima - Al Dana bint Salman Al Khalifa

    * HH Sheikha Al Joud bint Salman Al Khalifa

From : www.wikipedia.org

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (Arabic: حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة‎; born 28 January 1950, Riffa, Bahrain) is the King of Bahrain (since 14 February 2002), having previously been its Emir (from 6 March 1999). He is the son of Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the previous Emir.

Early life and education

Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa was born on 28 January 1950 in Riffa, Bahrain. His parents were Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa who in 1950 was the Crown Prince and Hessa bint Salman Al Khalifa. After attending Manama Secondary School in Bahrain, Hamad was sent to England to complete the remainder of his education. He attended Applegarth College in Godalming, Surrey before taking a place at The Leys School in Cambridge. Hamad then underwent military training, first with the British Army at Mons Officer Cadet School at Aldershot in Hampshire, graduating in September 1968. Four years later in June 1972 Hamad attended the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth in Kansas, graduating the following June with a degree in leadership.

Reign

On the death of his father Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, Hamad became Emir of Bahrain on 6 March 1999. As Emir, Hamad brought several political reforms to Bahrain. These included the release of all political prisoners, the dissolution of the State Security Court and the abolition of the 1974 Decree on State Security Measures. Additionally, many Bahraini citizens were permitted to return after several years in exile overseas. In 2002 he declared himself king.

Crown prince

Hamad was designated as heir apparent by his father on 27 June 1964. In 1968 Hamad was appointed as the Chairman of the Irrigation Council and Manama Municipal Council. He was commissioned into the Bahrain National Guard on 16 February 1968 and appointed as its commander the same year, remaining in that post until 1969 when he was appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force. In 1970 Hamad became the head of the Bahraini Department of Defence and the Vice-Chairman of the Administrative Council, remaining in both offices until 1971. From 1971 to 1988 he was the Minister of State for Defence.

In October 1977, Hamad started learning to fly helicopters, successfully completing the training in January 1978. He then worked to establish the Bahrain Amiri Air Force which came into being in 1987 when the Defence Force air wing was reconstituted as an air force.

Family

King Hamad has four wives and in total twelve children, seven sons and five daughters:

    * He married his first wife, Queen Sabika bint Ibrahim Al Khalifa, at Rifa’a on 9 October 1968. Together they have three sons and one daughter:

          o HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince of Bahrain (born 21 October 1969)

          o HH Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 30 June 1975)

          o HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 4 June 1977)

          o HH Sheikha Najla bint Hamad Al Khalifa (born 20 May 1981)

    * His second wife, Sheikha Sheia bint Hassan Al-Khrayyesh Al-Ajmi, is a lady from Kuwait. Together they have two sons:

          o HH Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 8 May 1987)

          o HH Sheikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa (born 23 September 1989)

    * He also has a third wife, a lady from Qatar, with whom he has two sons and four daughters:

          o HH Sheikh Faisal bin Hamad Al Khalifa (12 February 1992 - 12 January 2006), died in a fatal car accident

          o HH Sheikh Sultan bin Hamad Al Khalifa

          o HH Sheikha Hessa bint Hamad Al Khalifa

          o HH Sheikha Nura bint Hamad Al Khalifa

          o HH Sheikha Munira bint Hamad Al Khalifa

          o HH Sheikha Reema bint Hamad Al Khalifa

    * He does not have any children with his fourth wife, a lady from Qatar.

From : www.wikipedia.org