Maryam al-Khawaja, daughter of prominent Bahraini rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, was denied boarding a flight in London as she tried to return to Bahrain to advocate for her father’s release from prison. British Airways informed her at the check-in counter that she was not allowed to board the flight and should contact Bahraini immigration authorities.

Maryam expressed her disappointment in a video message posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, stating that she was effectively being denied boarding by British Airways on behalf of the Bahraini government. The Bahraini government claims to welcome all visitors as long as they meet necessary entry requirements.

However, like other countries, Bahrain reserves the right to refuse entry if deemed necessary. Maryam al-Khawaja decided to travel to Bahrain despite the risk of arrest because her father has been denied urgent and critical medical treatment, which is one of the reasons he is on a hunger strike.

Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a former president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and a Danish citizen, is serving a life sentence for his involvement in Bahrain’s pro-democracy protests in 2011. Maryam al-Khawaja was joined by other activists, including Amnesty International Secretary-General Agnes Callamard and Front Line Defenders’ Interim Director Olive Moore, who were also denied boarding.

Callamard stated that the Bahraini authorities’ decision to prevent Maryam and the human rights delegation from traveling to Bahrain is a "shameless attempt" to silence people speaking out about human rights violations in the country. Moore called the refusal of al-Khawaja’s right to freedom of movement "completely unjustifiable."

Maryam al-Khawaja was previously arrested in Bahrain in 2014 and accused of assaulting a police officer. The Bahraini government asserts that she was convicted of assaulting two policewomen in 2014 but never served or appealed her one-year sentence. Maryam’s arrest in 2014 and the denial of her right to board the flight are seen as attempts to suppress her advocacy for her father’s release.

Abdulhadi al-Khawaja resumed his hunger strike after authorities prevented him from attending a scheduled medical appointment. The deteriorating health of Abduljalil al-Singace, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, and Naji Fateel, all Bahraini prisoners, is seen as extremely concerning by Mary Lawlor, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders.

Lawlor attributes their declining health to medical negligence and a lack of adequate care. Bahrain has been accused of suppressing dissent since the Arab Spring uprising in 2011. The Sunni Muslim Al Khalifa dynasty, backed by Saudi Arabia, has been accused of cracking down on the predominantly Shia opposition. Bahrain accuses Shia-majority Iran of inciting unrest, a claim that Iran denies.