Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab was sentenced to three months in prison for posting a tweet that criticized Bahrain’s prime minister – Prince Khalifa bin Sulman al-Khalifa. Rajab reportedly tweeted, “Khalifa, leave the residents of Al Mahraq, its Sheikhs and its elderly. Everyone knows that you are not popular here, and if there wasn’t a need for money, they wouldn’t have gone out to receive you. When will you step down?”
Rajab is also President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights or BCHR, a nonprofit and non-government organization that works to promote human rights in Bahrain. This is not also the first time for Rajab to be detained. On Monday this week, supporters demanded the release of Nabeel Rajab and used Twitter as a tool to support the cause. “Every day there are a thousand people insulting a thousand people; this isn’t logical. Normally the charge of insult leads to just a fine,” Rajab’s lawyer said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa continues to be the longest-serving prime minister in the world.
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