BAHRAINI activist Ali Mushaima began consuming only liquids today on the 44th day of his hunger strike against the mistreatment of his imprisoned father.
Mr Mushaima has lost 16 kilos (more than two-and-a-half stone) since the beginning of his protest outside the Bahraini embassy in Knightsbridge, London.
He was hospitalised on August 30, a month after beginning his strike, on the advice of a visiting doctor who said “his health conditions were critical,” but returned to the embassy the next day to resume his protest.
Hassan Mushaima, Mr Mushaima’s father, was arrested and tortured before being sentenced to life imprisonment by a military court in 2011 as part of the Bahrain government’s crackdown on protests.
He has been deprived of vital medical care, family visitation and access to books.
Mr Mushaima said: “After 44 days, doctors, as well as human rights activists and friends, urged me to end my hunger strike.
“I even received a message from [imprisoned human rights activist] Nabeel Rajab. But what affected me the most was to hear my father telling me how scared he was the day I was hospitalised.
“My body needs to recover, but if my father’s basic rights are not met, I am ready to resume my hunger strike. I will never stop fighting for my father and for our cause.”
Mr Mushaima also expressed his disappointment at the British government which “has done little to help” him, making its position clear by “supporting false statements” by the Bahraini government.
“Sadly, they have been part of the problem, rather than the solution,” he added.
“Britain has spent millions of pounds of taxpayers money to train Bahrain’s violent police and to teach them how to whitewash their crimes.”
