Son of man on death row sends letter asking for help to Lewis Hamilton

The 12-year-old boy is the son of Mohammed Ramadhan, a former member of the Bahrain security forces facing the death penalty.

The drawing was shown to the Associated Press by Ahmed, who was accompanied by his mother Zainab Ebrahim as they spoke during an interview on Thursday in Bahrain.

A copy of the drawing was also sent to the Sir Lewis team of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy.

Ahmed spoke softly as he spoke as to why he had drawn it.

“I made this drawing to encourage Lewis,” he said. Composing himself with a deep breath, he added, “There are many stories that can affect Lewis and can help change that.”

Sir Lewis said he had not yet seen the drawing.

“But every year I get letters from those who are suffering, and all I can do is try my hardest to empathize with those who are facing these challenges and to tell these tragic stories,” Sir Lewis said on Friday at the Bahrain Grand Prix. .

“I think the weight of change really needs to be placed on governments and those in power. Therefore, we must continue to use the platforms we have, even when we arrive in these countries, to ensure that that they have serious conversations about what happened there.

Sir Lewis has previously said that F1 is “duty bound” to raise awareness about human rights wherever it goes. But he says drivers should also push for a lasting change.

“We have platforms to try to raise awareness. There are amazing organizations out there that are fighting for human rights and I support that,” Hamilton said.

“But there is a lot of work to be done, the world is in chaos. We have seen more displacement of refugees than ever before, not only in Ukraine but in Syria and Yemen.

It is the second time that Ahmed has signed Sir Lewis’ car and sent it to the British star, hoping he can have a result on his father’s future.

His father was one of three alleged torture victims who personally wrote to Sir Lewis in November 2020.

Mohammed Ramadhan detailed how he was arrested after supporting Bahrain’s pro-democracy uprising, and was then allegedly framed in a murder case and beaten with iron bars to extract his confession.

Lewis has an influence and he can talk to his friends, and he can influence the Bahraini government to re-investigate and talk about victims

After reading these letters, Sir Lewis vowed not to ignore advocacy to improve human rights in Bahrain and other countries where F1 races are organized.

“Lewis is the best,” Ahmed said, smiling as he was asked what he thought about the driver’s ongoing efforts. “I was very pleased to hear Lewis say that he is willing to help those in need.”

Ahmed’s mother hopes Sir Lewis’s voice will shout even louder for those who need it most.

“Lewis has an influence and he can talk to his friends, and he can influence the Bahraini government to re-examine and talk about victims,” ​​she said as she sat next to her son. “Perhaps find justice for their cases.”

For Zainab Ebrahim and her three children, visits to the prison are rare and, as she explains, so restrictive that they can barely touch a finger on her father’s hand to even the slightest connection with him.

“It’s very difficult to be here without her father. When her father was arrested, Ahmed was four years old and the twins were two, “she said.” This greatly affected her psychology. They cried a lot, got excited. They always ask about their father.

Sir Lewis has inspired other alleged torture survivors such as Najah Yusuf and Ali AlHajee, the other two who wrote to Sir Lewis in November 2020.

AlHajee is in Jau Prison, about seven miles from the track where Sir Lewis ran on Sunday.

Sir Lewis has trended in prison in a unique way.

“Inmates have started writing or drawing ‘Sir 44’ or ‘Lewis 44’ on their clothes, which we wear as support during the race,” AlHajee wrote to Sir Lewis recently.

“Prisoners see you not only as a world champion in sports, but as someone who defends their human rights.”