We ask Bahraini activist Maryam al-Khawaja if there has been any progress in Bahrain seven years after the uprising.

Seven years ago the Arab Spring came to Bahrain as protesters took to the streets to demand reform and - following repression - to call for the ruling Al-Khalifa family to step down. In response, authorities ordered the imprisonment of thousands of activists.

The people of Bahrain will continue to protest until they reach their… demands for civil and political rights. Maryam al-Khawaja, activist

As the crackdown on dissent continues today, was the revolution a failure?

Maryam al-Khawaja, a Bahraini activist in exile in The Netherlands, believes it remains to be seen whether the uprising can be deemed a failure.

"The people of Bahrain will continue to protest until they reach their … demands for civil and political rights," says al-Khawaja.

When asked about Iranian influence in the uprising, she calls it a "self-fulfilling prophecy."

"The more Iran speaks out saying that there's oppression and torture in Bahrain, and the more there's a failure from the West to do so, the more the Bahraini people are going to, you know, find themselves in a position where they don't see any other way out or any other ally than Iran… Is it the best thing for Bahrain? Of course, it's not," says al-Khawaja.



In this special interview, we ask activist Maryam al-Khawaja about the legacy of the Arab Spring in Bahrain.

Follow UpFront on Twitter @AJUpFront and Facebook.

Source: Al Jazeera News