Bahraini Zainab al-Khawaja ends hunger strike, choosing to use voice instead

The Guardian reported today that Zainab al-Khawaja has ended her hunger strike. 

The Bahraini human rights activist who witnessed her father, husband and brother-in-law being beaten and imprisoned by masked soldiers earlier this month has ended her hunger strike.

The 27-year-old mother of one told the Guardian that she has decided to stop her 10-day fast after becoming convinced that "being silent in a tomb and not able to speak is not in the interests of my family."

Her decision follows pressure from human rights groups who tried to persuade her to use her voice in support of the protest movement, arguing that the Bahraini government would rather she were dead than alive.

Meanwhile, Khawaja's hopes of seeing her family again were given a boost, after relatives received phonecalls from the authorities on Wednesday indicating that the three men were alive.

Read the rest of the Guardian story here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/20/bahraini-protester-ends-hunger-strike