SHAFAQNA – Jailed Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab told his son during a telephone conversation on Wednesday that he was “prepared for the worst and death in … prison.”
According to his son, Adam Nabeel Rajab, the prominent activist was returned to his prison cell after being rushed to hospital due to prolonged dizziness.
Adam tweeted on Wednesday that his father was meant to undergo surgery at the hospital but the authorities removed him from the operating room at the last minute, arguing that he must receive treatment at a military hospital instead.
Rajab’s health has significantly worsened since his arrest in the summer of 2016. He was hospitalized for months after authorities failed to provide him with proper medical care following a surgery last April.
In February, he was slapped with a 5-year prison term after being convicted for posting critical tweets of the Saudi-led war in Yemen and Manama’s treatment of prisoners.
At the time of his conviction, Rajab was already serving a 2-year sentence over television interviews and faces additional charges for op-eds published in the New York Times.