Bahrain arrests prominent female activist, her little son

Bahraini regime police forces have raided the house of a prominent female activist, detaining her and her 1-year-old son.

Family members said Zainab al-Khawaja and her son Abdulhadi were arrested in the mother’s apartment in the capital city of Manama Monday afternoon.

Known for their activism during a campaign for human rights and political freedom in Bahrain, members of the Khawaja family have been repeatedly jailed since an uprising began in the tiny Persian Gulf nation some five years ago.

Zainab, a vocal member of the family who spent years abroad briefing the media and rights groups about the suppression of dissent in Bahrain, faces several years in prison over several counts of charges.

Her sister, Maryam, said Zainab and her toddler were taken to a local police station. Their father is already serving a long sentence handed down to him over his comments on social media.

The arrest of Zainab coincides with the fifth anniversary of uprising in Bahrain, where people have been launching protests across the nation to demand more of a say in the political system.

SS