Human Rights Petition: US: Call for the Immediate Release of Bahrain's "Freedom Poet"

Some called 20 year-old poet Ayat al-Gormezi the "Ai Weiwei of Bahrain" - sent to prison for simply reading a poem which, the government said, incited "hatred of the regime." 

But now after more than 2,300 of us from across the globe took action to up the pressure to free her, Ayat al-Gormezi has been released. 

"The release of Ayat al-Gormezi is a victory for human rights, a victory for sanity, a victory for the power of global pressure speaking justice to power," said Philip Bishop, Director of Artists Speak Out. "Pressure from the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, groups like Amnesty International, and even the modest but meaningful work of Artists Speak Out and Change.org through this petition have all played a part in Ayat's release. We hope to hear her recite many a protest poem in the months and years to come -- and be free to do so."

Thanks for taking action everyone!

via change.org