Oct 01 2014
MANAMA, Oct 1 (Reuters) – Bahraini authorities on Wednesday
questioned a prominent rights activist over comments on his
Twitter account that “denigrated” government institutions, the
interior ministry said.
Nabeel Rajab, one of the most prominent rights activists in
the Arab world and founder of the Bahrain Centre for Human
Rights, was freed in May after he completed two years in jail on
charges of organising and participating in illegal protests to
push for reforms in the Sunni Muslim-ruled kingdom.
The Ministry said Rajab was summoned for questioning by the
General Directorate of Anti-corruption and Economic and
Electronic Security on Wednesday “regarding tweets posted on his
Twitter account that denigrated government institutions”.
“Mr. Rajab acknowledged the charges and the case was
referred to the Public Prosecutor,” the ministry said in a
statement on its Twitter account.
Bahrain, where the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is based, has
been in turmoil since protests led by Shi’ite Muslims erupted in
2011 after similar uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia.
Talks between the government and opposition have failed to
end the political standoff. Many Shi’ites complain of political
and economic discrimination, a charge the authorities deny.
Rajab, who had returned to Bahrain from a tour mostly in
Europe following his release in May, had earlier reported being
summoned for questioning over his tweets.
A friend who was running the account in Rajab’s absence
later said without elaborating that the activist had been
detained and would face the public prosecution on Thursday.
There was no immediate confirmation from the authorities
that Rajab had been arrested.
Speaking after his release in May, Rajab said he had been
shocked at how the situation in Bahrain had worsened during his
time in prison and called for a “genuine dialogue” between the
ruling authorities and the opposition to reach a solution for
the deadlock in the U.S.-allied country.
Authorities had been targeting activists and human rights
advocates, he said.
Rajab rose to prominence after campaigning against a
crackdown on demonstrations. Protesters cast him as a hero but
some other Bahrainis see him as a threat, fearing that
protesters want to bring Shi’ite Islamists to power in the Gulf
Arab state.
Rajab was sentenced to three months in jail last year in a
separate case over a tweet criticising the prime minister, the
king’s uncle. The ruling was overturned, but only after Rajab
had already served his sentence.
(Reporting by Farishta Saeed, writing by Sami Aboudi, Editing
by William Maclean and Andrew Heavens)
((sami.aboudi@thomsonreuters.com)(+971-4-3918301))
Keywords: BAHRAIN RIGHTS/
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