SHAFAQNA – In exclusive comments to Shafaqna, prominent Bahraini human rights defender, Nabeel Rajab said he did not know whether Bahrain authorities would allow him to return home following his summon.
“It is likely I will be sent to prison,” said Rajab.
The human rights defender who, unlike many fellow activists has remained in Bahrain to challenge the authorities and lead demonstration against the regime was told to present himself before the authorities on Friday.
Addressing his supporters on Thursday he noted, “Just to inform you that I was summoned today morning to attend the police station at the same time – and I came to know that the new charge against me will [be] incitement of hatred against the regime.”
The president of Bahrain Human Rights Center, Rajab has been most vocal in his denunciation of the regime’s grave human rights violations in Bahrain.
Rajab was arrested on October 1, 2014, following a post on his Twitter page in which he said, “Many #Bahrain men who joined #terrorism & #ISIS (ISIL) came from security institutions and those institutions were the first ideological incubator.” He was accused of insulting the ministries of defense and interior by writing the posts.
On January 20, a Bahraini court sentenced Rajab to six months in jail over his tweets. He appealed the ruling and is now free on bail until his appeals hearing in the next month.
The activist had been freed in May 2014 after serving two years in prison for participating in anti-regime protests.