Human rights activist Maryam Alkhawaja has been jailed for over a week after trying to enter the country. Alkhawaja says customs officials told her she no longer holds citizenship. She had been trying to visit her ailing father, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, who remains on a hunger strike behind bars. Hundreds of people have taken part in rallies inside Bahrain since her detention. In a statement, Human Rights Watch said: "[They] are in jail only because they vigorously called for democratic reforms … Washington and London and others … should make their voices heard loud and clear in Manama." Bahrain is a key U.S. government ally, hosting the Navy’s Fifth Fleet.
