Earlier today, Mahdi Abu Dheeb, leader of the Bahrain Teachers Association, an EI affiliate in the country, was released from prison. He had been held in detention since 2011, when he was sentenced to a prison sentence for the simple fact of calling for a teachers’ strike in support of democratic reforms.
The international community has closely monitored Abu Dheeb’s case, and decried the blatant disregard for human and trade union rights by Bahraini authorities in the case. Education International has worked with a large coalition of affiliates and civil society organisations to ensure his release.
Among others, Amnesty International started a Twitter Countdown to raise awareness about his impending liberation, one of EI’s affiliates in the UK, NASUWT, launched an online campaign, another UK affiliate, the NUT, had keynote speaker Jeremy Corbyn and conference delegates at their annual conference show their concern, and many other EI affiliates around the world, especially of those countries which have diplomatic representations in Bahrain (e.g. the United States), expressed their solidarity and appealed to Bahraini authorities over the years.
EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen welcomed Abu Dheeb’s release. “Mahdi didn’t commit any crimes. He called for quality public education for all and asked for the unions to be involved in the reforms. He fought for freedom of speech and freedom of assembly,” he said. “In our view, the authorities’ harsh reaction and Mahdi’s long imprisonment were not justified. We do hope that this is a sign that trade union rights and quality education can become a reality for all in Bahrain. EI will continue to monitor the human rights situation in the country closely.”