Ayat Al-Qurmezi

Ayat Al-Qurmezi
آيات حسن محمد القرمزي
Ayat Al-Qurmezi in 2014
Born
Ayat Hassan Mohammed Al-Qurmezi

(1991-01-01) 1 January 1991 (age 33)
Sanad, Bahrain
Occupation(s)Bahrani poet, activist, and student
Websiteayat-algormezi.blogspot.com

Ayat Hassan Mohammed Al-Qurmezi[1] (Arabic: آيات حسن محمد القرمزي; also Al-Qormezi, al-Ghermezi; born 1 January 1991) is a poet and student at the University of Bahrain Teaching Institute in Bahrain.[2]

Al-Qurmezi became famous in Bahrain and internationally after reading out a poem criticising Bahraini government policies to the Pearl Roundabout gathering of pro-democracy protesters. After the poem was widely circulated via social media she and her family were subjected to harassment and death threats (both online and offline).

She was arrested and detained in conditions of secrecy, and rumours of her death in custody led to protests by Iranian activists. She was subjected to torture while in custody but was eventually tried on charges of inciting hatred of the Bahraini regime and insulting members of the royal family. International human rights organisations described her detention and trial as illustrating the brutality of the Bahraini authorities.[3] She was sentenced to a term of imprisonment, which she was allowed to serve under house arrest.

  1. ^ Ayat Hassan's Verdict to Be Issued next June 12 – Bahrain News Agency
  2. ^ Patrick Cockburn (2 June 2011). "Locked up for reading a poem". The Independent.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference CNN 12.6.2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).