A post about a new friend, Ali Mushaima.

I’d seen Ali talk before at Amnesty International a few years ago at an event about the Arms Fair. A few weeks ago I had a message from another friend Sam Walton who works in Human Rights and Peace activism. Sam was putting a call out, one that I wish to make here too, for visitors to go and see Ali.

For about 30 days Ali went on a hunger strike outside the embassy of Bahrain in London, to raise awareness about his Father Hasan Mushaima of the Haq movement for political freedom, who was being held in prison without access to medical supplies or family contact. As Ali told me, showing any alternative to power in Bahrain, sees many people imprisoned, something his Father wishes to highlight.

While I don’t know all that much about the politics of Bahrain (some more now), I wanted to go to show support for this peaceful and in my eyes, inspirational person. Also in the pictures is Zainab Al-Khawaja, a friend of Ali’s and artists Ellis and Anna – we all went after Sam’s request for artists to visit and offer Ali something; I wrote in Ali’s book and sang a few songs.

As Ali explains in this sharing we had, he has now begun to eat again understand that his Father’s conditions have improved.

You can sign Ali’s petition of support here and also send Ali a postcard to at the Bahraini Embassy 30 Belgrave Square, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 8QB – It’s unlikely Ali will get it though it will remind the embassy he is there.