21 Facts About Mansoor al-Jamri

Mansoor al-Jamri is a Bahraini columnist, author, human rights activist and former opposition leader.

Mansoor al-Jamri is the editor-in-chief of Al-Wasat, an Arabic language independent daily newspaper.

Mansoor al-Jamri is the second son of the Shia spiritual leader Sheikh Abdul-Amir al-Jamri, who died in 2006.

Between 1987 and 2001, Mansoor al-Jamri lived in self-imposed exile in UK where he became the spokesman of a UK-based opposition group.

Mansoor al-Jamri co-founded Al-Wasat in September 2002 and became its editor-in-chief since then.

Mansoor al-Jamri resigned from his position and the newspaper was allowed to publish the next day.

Mansoor al-Jamri was charged and convicted of publishing false news.

Mansoor al-Jamri was born in Bahrain on 17 December 1961.

At the time, Mansoor al-Jamri's family was composed of his parents and his 2-year-old brother Mohammed Jameel.

Mansoor al-Jamri studied for five years at the Talibiya primary school which was attended by some Bahrainis such as Sami, the elder son of Isa Qassim.

Mansoor al-Jamri writes that the "biggest tragedy" he witnessed was the deportation of Iraqis of Iranian origins, some of whom were his neighbors.

In 1973, Mansoor al-Jamri returned to Bahrain with his family, spending 11 years of his life in Iraq.

Mansoor al-Jamri said his father's decision to return to Bahrain was the "best news I have ever received" and that to him Bahrain represented "freedom and eternal joy".

Mansoor al-Jamri studied mechanical engineering at the University of the West of Scotland of which he holds the doctorate degree.

In 1987, Mansoor al-Jamri immigrated to Britain which he held its citizenship.

Mansoor al-Jamri lived in self-imposed exile for 14 years during which he continued his studies and became the spokesman of the London-based opposition group.

Mansoor al-Jamri was described by the New York Times as a "woman of Western tastes".

Al-Wasat was founded in September 2002 and its co-founder Mansoor al-Jamri became its editor-in-chief.

Mansoor al-Jamri added that he refused to be hosted on Al-Manar and Al-Alam News Network, because "their rhetoric is not in accordance with Al-Wasat's".

Subsequently, Mansoor al-Jamri received two international awards; the CPJ International Press Freedom Award in 2011 and the Next Century Foundation's Peace Through Media Award in 2012.

Mansoor al-Jamri was motivated to write it by people's reactions following the death of his father and dedicated the book to his memory.