Bahrain human rights activist formally charged with insulting security forces on Twitter

Published December 10, 2015

This May 28, 2011 photo, Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab, center, accompanied by his wife Sumaya, left, daughter Malak, second left, and son Adam, right, leaves a Manama, Bahrain, police station. Rajab was formally charged on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014, with insulting the ministries of defense and interior. His court date was set for Oct. 19. Rajab was detained Oct. 1 over his tweets alleging that Bahrain’s security institutions were incubators for extremist ideology. His lawyer Jalila al-Sayed said he was also accused of “intimidating” security forces. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali) (The Associated Press)

A top Bahraini human rights activist has been formally charged with insulting the ministries of defense and interior.

Nabeel Rajab was detained Oct. 1 over his tweets alleging that Bahrain's security institutions were incubators for extremist ideology. His lawyer Jalila al-Sayed said Thursday he was also accused of "intimidating" security forces.

A court date was set for Oct. 19. Al-Sayed said the charges carry a possible jail sentence of up to three years. Rajab insists he was practicing his right to free speech.

A prosecution statement on the official Bahrain News Agency said prosecutors had ordered Rajab held another week starting Thursday.

Bahrain has clamped down on activists since protests erupted in 2011. Rajab previously served two years in prison for leading anti-government Shiite protests. He was released in May.

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