Bahrain mulls request to extradite detained activist

Manama: Bahrain is considering a request from Denmark to transfer an activist detained in Manama to Copenhagen.

"I have received an official letter from the Danish foreign minister to transfer Abdul Hadi Al Khawaja to Denmark on account of his Danish nationality," said Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, the foreign minister. "The matter will be decided by the judicial council overseeing the case," the minister said on his Twitter account.

Along with other defendants, Al Khawaja was sentenced to life in prison in June on charges of attempting to topple the regime.

An appeals court confirmed the verdict in September, but the cassation court is expected to deliver a final verdict on April 23.

However, Al Khawaja in February started a hunger strike and last week he was transferred from prison to a public security clinic then to the military hospital, prompting the Danish foreign ministry to press for his transfer.

"The Danish minister has the right to communicate with me over anyone who has the Danish nationality and we have the right to respond in accordance with the law," Shaikh Khalid said. "The application of the law does not exempt anyone on account of their nationality. Let us wait and not anticipate things. We need to see what the judicial council will decide."

Shaikh Khalid sai that the decision to move Al Khawaja's case was to ensure that Bahrain's decision followed "the constitutional process in responding to the Danish minister's request."