Zainab Al Khawaja has all rights in accordance with the law

Manama : The Acting Director General of the Reformation and Rehabilitation confirmed on Monday that Zainab Abdulhadi Abdullah Al Khawaja, 32, who was taken into custody on 15 March 2016 after being convicted in a number of cases, maintains all of her rights as stated in the Reformation and Rehabilitation Law of 2014.

The Acting Director General said the sentences against her include a one-year jail term for insulting a public employee in 2013 and a two-month sentence for intentional sabotage in 2014.

He said that Al Khawaja requested to keep her child, aged one year and four months, with her at the Women's Reformation and Rehabilitation Centre. Her request was approved and she signed a statement to this regard on 16 March 2016. The directorate provides all childcare requirements and she is being housed in a dedicated area for mothers and children. Her son received a medical check-up and was provided with required medication as per normal procedures.

The Acting Director General stated that the centre has approved a variety of Al Khawaja's requests, including allowing her son home visits with her husband (his father) on certain days. Her daughter willalso be permitted to stay with her for one full day. Medical appointments for Al Khawaja were scheduled by the Health Affairs Directorate.

The Acting Director General said the department will continue to fulfil their legal duty of providing medical care around the clock to all inmates who may need it. He called upon the media to adhere to journalistic ethics, especially accuracy, and to avoid publishing unverified information. (MOI-Police Media Centre).