Al-Khawaja Arrested

Via Mahmood, I learn that Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja has been arrested in Bahrain:

"The president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, was arrested by Bahraini authorities this morning at 6am. The reason for the detention is not yet known.

"Mr. Alkhawaja was previously arrested in September 2004 after he gave a public lecture in which he criticized the Prime Minister of Bahrain.

"Mr. Alkhawaja was due to travel to the United States later this month to deliver a lecture about political reform in Bahrain, at the American Enterprise Institute, Washington DC.

"It is also being reported that Hassan Mushaima, the secretary general of the Haq Movement political society, has also been arrested."

Al-Khawaja's daughter Zainab was a student of mine at Beloit College. I had tea with him just six days ago. This is a major crisis for human rights in Bahrain.