Bahrain Mirror: Amnesty International launched a petition demanding the release of Dr. Ali Al-Ekri, a Bahraini consultant surgeon, who is serving a five-year prison sentence since October 2012.

Amnesty said in the petition it launched this week "it believes that the real reason for targeting Al-Ekri was his vocal denunciation of the excessive force used by the armed forces against peaceful protesters during 2011 protests."

Amnesty also urged the Bahraini authorities to "immediately and unconditionally release him", stressing that "he is a prisoner of conscience, held solely for peacefully exercising his rights to freedom of expression and assembly." It further called on the Bahraini authorities to "investigate Al-Ekri's allegations of torture and other ill-treatment and bring to justice anyone found responsible."

Arabic Issue