Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Is Hunger Striker Alkhawaja Near Death?

A cameraman films Bahraini police surrounding the body of Salah Habib Abbas Alqattan, apparently slain by security forces --- near the end of the clip, a shot appears to be fired at him

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Friday's Bahrain, Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: Protest Here, Protest There, Protest Everywhere?

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2228 GMT: We close today's coverage with two contrasting images from Bahrain....

Mohammed Hasan, a "fixer" for foreign journalists covering stories in the kingdom, has been released from detention after he was seized this morning:

But this photograph (Warning: Graphic) appears to confirm that protester Salah Habib Abbas Alqattan was killed by birdshot fired by security forces:

1946 GMT: A march in Bilad Alqadeem for the slain protester Salah Habib Abbas Alqattan:

1936 GMT: Claimed footage of Bahraini police setting a fire in a village:

Police detain two youth in Nabih Saleh village and sexually harass one of them:

Footage has also been posted of a protester wounded by a shotgun and pictures of demonstrators injured in Alqadam.

A march in AlDuraz today, "We Shall Never Give Up Our Rights":

1834 GMT: Bahraini opposition society Al Wefaq has published photographs of injuries that it claims were suffered by protesters who were beaten with Salah Habib Abbas Alqattan by security forces last night. Habib Abbas' body was discovered this morning on a rooftop in Shakoura.

1830 GMT: Bahraini activist Zainab Alkhawaja before her arrest this evening near the Financial Harbour (see 1730 GMT):

1815 GMT: Amidst more violence and arrests in Bahrain, British Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced:

I spoke to the Foreign Minister of Bahrain today to express our concern about the violence in Bahrain, to call for restraint in dealing with protests including during the Formula One race and to urge further progress in implementing political reforms.

Beyond that general call, Hague made two specific demands of note as he "encourage[d] the Bahraini Government to take further urgent steps to implement in full the recommendations of the Independent Commission of Inquiry. This includes bringing to account those individuals responsible for human rights abuses....We also call for the release of prisoners sentenced by the military court."

1730 GMT: As protesters gather in evening marches, reports are coming in that activist Zainab Alkhawaja, daughter of detained hunger striker Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, has been arrested yet again, this time near the Financial Harbour.

And there are unconfirmed reports that a 15-year-old girl, Noor Rabie, has been shot in the head:

In Duraz march for 2day, a girl from Sitra had shoten on her head & need your prayers now , she's on a bad condition #bahrain

— Aalaa (@AalaaAs) April 21, 2012

Video of the protest in Manama:

And earlier in Sitra:

1615 GMT: The New York Times summarises Friday's mass demonstration in Egypt:

Tens of thousands of Egyptians packed into Tahrir Square in central Cairo on Friday in a spasm of last-minute concern that Egypt’s ruling generals might be trying to sabotage the promised transition to civilian democracy after the presidential election beginning next month.

The crowd was as large as any that has gathered in the square since the protests that forced out President Hosni Mubarak in February 2011. Even more unusual in the increasingly polarized political climate, Islamists, liberals and leftists all found common ground on at least one front: the demand that the generals, who took power with Mr. Mubarak’s ouster, finally give it up.

The catalysts for the protest were the military-led government’s management of the early stages of the election, and in particular the selection of the candidates. In the past two weeks, Mr. Mubarak’s former spy chief, Omar Suleiman, began a short-lived campaign from inside the office of the intelligence services that set off fears of a plot to restore the old order.

In that same period, a commission of Mubarak-appointed judges unexpectedly blocked Mr. Suleiman and two Islamists from running. They had been considered front-runners for president. And the top military leader suggested that a new constitution should be written and ratified before a handover of power, meaning the military leaders would control that process, too, and have the ability to safeguard their own powers and interests.

1557 GMT: The United Nations Security Council has unanimously passed a resolution for a mission of 300 monitors in Syria

While united behind the observers of a cease-fire demanded in the six-point plan of UN envoy Kofi Annan, delegations diverged in their presentation of the situation. France's Gerard Araud said, "The deployment of the first 10 observers in Syria [this week] has not changed the murderous behavior of the regime," but Russia's Vitaly Churkin withheld any condemnation, "This resolution is of fundamental importance to push forward the process of the peaceful settlement in Syria."

There was also a difference in approach between the US and Britain, which decided against co-sponsoring the resolution because of doubts about the mission's future, and France and Germany, which joined Russia to show backing for the Annan peace plan.

Meanwhile, as the first group of observers toured a neighbourhood in Homs today, residents chanted for a military intervention to protect them from the Syrian regime.

Video aired on Al-Jazeera showed three observers walking in the middle of dozens of people in a street in the Jouret el-Shayah section, amid chants, "The people want military intervention" and "May your soul be cursed Abu Hafez [President Assad]."

1523 GMT: Elizabeth Dickinson of World Affairs writes about the arrest in Bahrain of Mohammed Hasan, who worked as a "fixer" helping foreign reporters with coverage of stories on the island:

Unfortunately, fixers are also--almost always--at greater risk than international correspondents themselves. They lack international passports and foreign embassy protection. They are also essentially invisible in the news production process. They don't have bylines; they don't show up on camera....

What is our moral obligation as journalists in a situation like this? Using fixers always carries the risk that you will endanger your colleague's safety. And while most locals take this risk upon themselves, I would argue it's also a big part of our job as international press to make sure we do no harm....

In Mohammed Hassan's case, it's our duty to respond as colleagues. I hope the crew that Hassan was working with when he was taken will advocate on his behalf. We should too--not because this is political, or because we are choosing a "side" in Bahrain's conflict, but because Hassan was--as much or more than as any of us--a journalist.

1519 GMT: Clashes between police and protesters in Nuwaidrat in Bahrain on Friday:

1457 GMT: A mass demonstration in Jabal al-Zawiya in Idlib Province in Syria:

A funeral in Damascus for a victim of the security forces:

1406 GMT: Bahrain's Ministry of Interior has put out a defensive statement about the death of protester Salah Habib Abbas Alqattan:

The Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hasan announced that the operations room received a call at 8:10am on Saturday regarding the body of a deceased person in a garden in Shakhura. The police and crime scene investigators immediately went to the scene and launched an investigation.

The death was determined to have happened under suspicious circumstances. The public prosecutor was immediately notified and the medical examiner was sent to the scene.

The name of the deceased is Salah Abbas Habib Musa, 36. The Chief said more details would be released as they become known. He reminded everyone, both journalists and the public, to wait for the facts to be established and not to believe unconfirmed reports on social media channels.

1326 GMT: The Local Co-ordination Committees of Syria says eight people have died today, including a woman, "two martyrs under torture", and a defected soldier.

1232 GMT: Bahrain's Mohammed Hasan appearing recently on the documentary "Dan Rather Reports" --- he has now reportedly been beaten and detained (see 1210 GMT):

1218 GMT: Two people have been killed and 15 injured in clashes between Libyan soldiers and tribesmen in the southeastern desert.

Armed forces were sent to al Kufra, near Libya's borders with Chad and Sudan, in February to quell fighting between the Tibu and Zwai tribes. Current fighting began when the Tibu in Kufra found one of their men killed on the street on Thursday --- they blamed the national army and attacked one of their bases.

A community organiser said troops had surrounded Tibu neighbourhoods in Kufra, about 1100 kilometres (680 miles) south of Tripoli and were not allowing people to enter banks or schools.

1210 GMT: Earlier this year, Mohammed Hasan participated in the Bahrain Debate seeking political reconcilation, asking for a moment of silence for martyrs. Earlier this month, he appeared in a documentary, hosted by American newscaster Dan Rather, about the situation in the countury. Now he has been detained and allegedly beaten:

5 days ago, Mohd Hassan wrote to me: "I started getting some calls after appearing on @DanRatherReport, waiting to see their next move."

— Chan'ad Bahraini (@chanadbh) April 21, 2012

Sure enough, Mohammed Hassan has been now been detained. #prevtweet #Bahrain cc @DanRatherReport

— Chan'ad Bahraini (@chanadbh) April 21, 2012

.@SAIDYOUSIF @BahrainDebate update on Mohd Hasan. He was hit with a gun barrel & badly beaten up. Brother saw bruises on his face

— Dr Ala'a Shehabi (@alaashehabi) April 21, 2012

1150 GMT: Claimed video of riot police preventing the family of Salah Habib Abbas Alqattan, allegedly slain by security forces, and Nabeel Rajab of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights from seeing the body, which was discovered on a rooftop:

The family have subsequently said they were not allowed to see the body at the morgue --- only Salah's face, with signs of blood, was shown.

It is still unclear whether Salah was beaten or shot to death, or possibly a combination --- Andrew Hammond of Reuters tweets:

witnesses tell rights activist Maskati, Habib was hit by birdshot as they ran from police in Abu Saiba village, then they lost him #bahrain

— Andrew Hammond (@Hammonda1) April 21, 2012

1130 GMT: The opposition Syrian National Council has put out a statement, "We call anew on the UN Security Council to act with all urgency to intervene militarily to bring an end to the crimes committed by the bloody regime against the unarmed Syrian people."

1030 GMT: Bahrain's Foreign Minister finds a novel war to reassure people over the situation in his country amid the Formula 1 Grand Prix:

If any here to cover ugly bloody confrontations ,go to syria. Here we have a grand Prix to enjoy. Also, there is an ongoing war n the Sudan

— Khalid Alkhalifa (@khalidalkhalifa) April 20, 2012

Meanwhile, activists are claiming the man in this iconic photo from last year, facing Saudi armoured vehicles, is Salah Habib Abbas Alqattan, allegedly slain by police this weekend (see 0950 GMT):

0950 GMT: Bahraini activists are claiming that another protester, Salah Habib Abbas, has been killed by police, his body found on a rooftop in Shakoura

Bahrain's Ministry of Interior has said only, "The body of a deceased person was found in Shakhoura today. Police have begun an investigation."

A claimed photograph of Habib Abbas Alqattan in a demonstration:

0930 GMT: A Syrian activist posts messages of optimism but also caution:

No shelling this morning in #Homs. Cellphones are working. Internet too. Even 3G. What's up? Could it be the UN observers? #Syria

— Big Al (@BigAlBrand) April 21, 2012

People are in the streets buying supplies. We get worried when it's quiet in Homs. Cause it usually changes dramatically soon.

— Big Al (@BigAlBrand) April 21, 2012

And "Sami", with whom we have corresponded about the situation in Homs, adds:

I confirm there is no shelling by #Assad forces since this morning till now 11:30am &mobile phones have returned here in #Homs #Syria

— Samsom homs (@Samsomhoms) April 21, 2012

Syrian State media says the regime has released 30 detainees who have "no blood on their hands", while maintaining, "Armed Terrorist Groups Escalate Their Attacks against Civilians and Law-Enforcement Forces in Several Provinces".

State outlets claim that dozens of security personnel and civilians have been killed in explosions and shootings by the "terrorists" this week.

Morning demonstrations in Idlib Province:

0900 GMT: Autosport editor Jon Noble sends a message from qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix:

More show of security on way to track today; police on motorway openly walking around with weapons. Sign at entrance says no nail clippers..

— Jon Noble (@NobleF1) April 21, 2012

Protesters run for cover from tear gas fired by police on an overpass in Bahrain on Friday:

0545 GMT: As we expected, Friday's news in Bahrain and Syria was dominated by the surge of protest against the Alkhalifa and Assad regimes, respectively. In Bahrain, tens of thousands marched peacefully --- as Formula 1's cars practiced for the Sunday Grand Prix --- for reform and release of political prisoners. Syrian demands for change continued, even though more than 50 people died in the response from the security forces, with rallies across the country.

We will begin, however, with a more personal and no less significant story. Yesterday afternoon detained Bahraini activist Abdulhadi Alkhawaja, on Day 72 of his hunger strike, called for his lawyer and his family. He wanted to prepare a will and send out a message.

Confusion and apparent resistance by the authorities followed. Alkhawaja's lawyer and family were initially denied a visit, activists claimed. It is still unclear if the lawyer even made it into the military hospital; when Alkhawaja's daughter Zainab did, she was reportedly detained for hours.

Still, Alkhawaja's messages came out in a series of tweets from his wife, translated by an activist:

#AlKhawaja's wife: "He called me today and surprised me with his calmness. I did not know what to say." - @tublani2010 #Bahrain

— Mona Kareem (@monakareem) April 20, 2012

#Alkhawaja's wife: "He paused and then started reciting his will to me. he told me the body leaves but the soul stays" @tublani2010 #Bahrain

— Mona Kareem (@monakareem) April 20, 2012

#Alkhawaja's wife: "He paused and then started reciting his will to me. he told me the body leaves but the soul stays" @tublani2010 #Bahrain

— Mona Kareem (@monakareem) April 20, 2012

#Alkhawaja's wife: I told him I am with you and am silent coz am writing down your will not to forget. I won't let you down. #Bahrain

— Mona Kareem (@monakareem) April 20, 2012

#Alkhawaja's wife: he said I am happy and satisfied with god, myself, daughters, their husbands, and convinced with what am doing #Bahrain

— Mona Kareem (@monakareem) April 20, 2012