April 10, 2012

Deported from Bahrain: An Eyewitness Account of an Ongoing Revolution

Monday, April 16th
7:30pm – 9:00pm

Columbia University
501 Northwest Corner Building
550 West 120th Street (on Broadway)
New York, NY, 10027

Photo: An antigovernment demonstrator kicks a tear gas canister fired by riot police in Sanabis, on the edge of the Bahraini capital, Manama. Credit: Hasan Jamali / Associated Press

Over the past year, tens of thousands of Bahrainis – inspired by the Arab Spring movements in Tunisia and Egypt – have taken to the streets in an attempt to win democracy and respect for their human rights. The regime responded by killing over 80 people, detaining thousands and beginning a campaign of retribution against anyone supporting or participating in protest.

As the one year anniversary of the revolution drew near, the Kingdom of Bahrain attempted to keep out foreign observers, denying visas to high profile human rights groups and journalists. Radhika Sainath, a civil rights attorney, and a small team of monitors were able to gain entry and document the regime’s repression of democracy activists. Just a day after announcing the Witness Bahrain initiative, she was arrested in the midst of a police attack on a nonviolent march and deported the next day.

Radhika Sainath is a human rights activist with experience in conflict zones and has supported democracy movements in Mexico, Pakistan, Palestine and the Philippines. Join us in our conversation with her.

Sponsored by

The Middle East Institute at Columbia University

American Council for Freedom in Bahrain

Co-sponsors

Witness Bahrain

Campaign for Peace & Democracy

OWS Global Justice Working Group

Coalition to Defend the Egyptian Revolution

Light refreshments will be served. This event will also kick-off a new initiative started by our co-sponsors — Bahrain Solidarity Campaign NYC. Please contact them at BahrainNYC@gmail.com, if you would like to join the campaign or would like ideas on how to start one in your own city. More information will be provided at the event.

RSVP on our Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/306068049466044/

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