Vice-President of the Bahraini Teachers’ Association, Jalila al-Salman addressed the annual conference of the National Union of Teachers on 2 April.

NUT national executive member Nick Grant told MENA Solidarity Network that Jalila’s speech brought delegates to their feet in a standing ovation.  “She told me at breakfast that she still has hearing and vision problems as well as liver and kidney complaints from the beatings she suffered before her recent release from prison. The union itself has been disbanded by the state and its President is still incarcerated. Respect to Christine Blower for getting her there by plane from NASUWT Conference in Bournemouth”

Hear more from Jalila about her experiences in prison following the crackdown after the 2011 uprising in a video recorded for MENA Solidarity Network for a meeting on Teachers and the Arab Spring in parliament last November.

Bahraini healthworkers are still imprisoned – read more about what you can do to mobilise solidarity here.