Leading Bahraini human rights campaigner Nabeel Rajab appeared in the Higher Criminal Court on 11 September to be told by a new judge that the case had been continued to 27 September.
“Nabeel has been subjected to a completely ridiculous campaign of judicial harassment for expressing his opinions about the country he loves. Nabeel Rajab has committed no crime and should be set free immediately and unconditionally,” said Jodie Ginsberg, CEO of Index on Censorship.
Rajab faces up to 15 years in prison for “insulting a statutory body”, “spreading rumours in war time” and “insulting a neighbouring country.” Rajab, president of the 2012 Index on Censorship Freedom of Expression Award-winning Bahrain Center for Human Rights, was sentenced in July to two years in prison for speaking to journalists.
Index on Censorship marked the 11 September trial date by joining the Amnesty International Bahrain team, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), English PEN and Reporters Without Borders by holding a vigil outside the Bahraini embassy in London.
#FreeSpeechNotJail #FREENABEEL @NewsFromAmnesty @BirdBahrain_ @NABEELRAJAB pic.twitter.com/Na3xXjX70S
— Index on Censorship (@IndexCensorship) September 11, 2017
Bahrain must end judicial harassment of @NABEELRAJAB #FREENABEEL pic.twitter.com/O4aU8SLYge
— Index on Censorship (@IndexCensorship) September 11, 2017
At least 9 police officers present at our demonstration to #FreeNabeel @IndexCensorship pic.twitter.com/tXV2Yjt2bV
— Hannah Machlin (@HannahMachlin) September 11, 2017
Police decided we could stay directly in front of Bahrain embassy #FREENABEEL pic.twitter.com/MFLZAt0GC5
— Index on Censorship (@IndexCensorship) September 11, 2017
