Thanks to thousands of emails from Amnesty supporters across the globe, months of torture and uncertainty have finally come to an end for Bahraini teacher, Jalia al-Salman.
Arrested early last year in a dawn raid of her family home, the Vice President of the Bahrain Teachers' Society was held in an unknown location. Unable to communicate with the outside world, denied access to a lawyer and tried in a military court, Jalia was detained with fellow society leader Madi 'Issa Madi Dheeb.
The pair was faced with a string of charges including, "attempting to overthrow the ruling system by force", after they called for a teachers' strike in support of pro-reform protesters.
Amid reports of torture, Jalia was deprived of food, water and sleep, held in a freezer for eight days and denied access to the bathroom, Amnesty members wrote directly to the King of Bahrain calling for the immediate drop of convictions and forcing authorities to act.
The announcement of Jalia's release finally marks the end for the mother of three. Unfortunately, Madi 'Issa Madi Dheeb remains in Bahraini custody, facing five years in prison. Amnesty International will continue to fight for Madi and his freedom.
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