Bahrain female activist's detention extended

TEHRAN, Sep. 07 (MNA) – A Bahrain court has extended Bahraini human rights activist Maryam al-Khawaja's detention for more ten days. A Bahraini court ordered Maryam al-Khawaja to remain in detention for a further 10 days as authorities continue to investigate her case, which stems from her decision to return to the tiny Persian Gulf nation to visit her jailed father. Al-Khawaja was detained after arriving on a flight to Bahrain a week ago. Authorities have charged her with assaulting police after she refused to hand over her mobile phone during questioning at the airport. However, she has denied the charge. Al-Khawaja has dual Danish and Bahraini citizenship. She was returning to Bahrain to visit her activist father, prominent rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, who is on hunger strike to protest a life sentence he is serving in connection to his role in 2011 anti-government protests. Lawyer Mohammed al-Jishi provided details of the court order following a hearing Saturday, and said, “the hearing held in the judge's office was attended only by me and a Danish diplomat. If convicted, al-Khawaja could face a maximum of two years in jail.” “Washington is concerned about reports of al-Khawaja's detention and is closely following developments in the case,” said US State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. Ravina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, said in a statement, "we urge the government to take immediate steps to release Ms Khawaja and all human rights defenders and individuals detained for the peaceful exercise of their rights.”