Bahrain: Young divorcee is threatened for speaking out against Sharia courts, politicized judges and the lack of a personal status law

While speaking on Al Hurra television Ms Fathalla gave details of her case – she told how her eldest son chose not to live with his father. She also spoke about how he was told by an Interior Ministry employee that if he left his father he would be sent to a juvenile detention centre.

She criticised Sharia Courts and politicised judges for their handling of the case and the Interior Ministry for failing to take any disciplinary action against their employee (her ex-husband) for his illegal actions.

Backlash and Pressure

Following the television interview, Ms Fathalla started to receive threatening phone calls and messages. One example, she says, was a call asking her to choose the graveyard in which she would like to be buried, saying that she would be going there soon.

A case was filed at the Muharraq police over one month ago, but no action has been taken yet.

She is also now being accused of defamation.

On January 9 Ms Fathalla received an aggressive phone call from a Public Prosecution official. The official allegedly shouted at her and ordered her to attend a court hearing on the charges of defamation.

"Because I spoke to the media, they are trying to pressure me to shut my mouth," Ms Fathalla said. "What scares me most of all is that they may try to take my children away – or jail me on the charges of defamation and then take my children away as a result of that. But I will keep speaking."