After 282 days of arbitrary detention, human rights defender Nabeel Rajab’s trial postponed once again

March23, 2017 - On March 22, 2017,Manama’s Fifth High Criminal Court postponed again Bahraini human rightsdefender Nabeel Rajab’s trial in the Twitter case, in clear contempt ofinternational human rights standards. His arbitrary detention and judicialharassment are only meant to silence one of Bahrain’s most vocal human rightsdefenders,say the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Front LineDefenders, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and the Observatory for theProtection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH-OMCT).

Arbitrarily detainedsince June 13, 2016, Nabeel Rajab is facing a series of charges and up to 18 yearsin prison. In the “Twitter case”, ongoing since April 2, 2015, Nabeel Rajab isaccused of “deliberately spreading false information and malicious rumours withthe aim of discrediting the State”, “disseminating false rumours in time ofwar”, “insulting a statutory body” and “offending a foreign country [SaudiArabia]” in relation to Tweets denouncing the torture of detainees in theKingdom’s Jaw Prison and human rights violations perpetrated by theSaudi-Arabia led coalition air strikes in Yemen. The thirteenth hearing isscheduled on May 17, 2017. In addition, Nabeel Rajab is facing charges of“spreading false information and malicious rumours about domestic matters withthe aim of discrediting and adversely affecting the State’s prestige” in aseparate case related to three televised interviews made in 2015 and 2016 inwhich Nabeel Rajab exposed Bahrain’s poor human rights record. The next hearingin that case is on May 3, 2017.

“Despite a court order to temporarily releasehim following a failure to give any sufficient evidence in the Twitter case,Nabeel Rajab remains arbitrarily detained. Arbitrary and solitary detention,endless postponements, denial of visa for international human rights NGOs havebeen jeopardising the judicial process. Bahrain is failing its internationalobligations and makes a mockery of justice,” declared theorganisations.

Further investigations areunderway and may lead to additional charges, including “intentionallybroadcasting false news and malicious rumours abroad impairing the prestige ofthe state” following the publication on September 5, 2016 of an Op-Ed in TheNew York Times with his by-line, which discussed the conditions of hisimprisonment and arrest. In addition, he has been questioned about thepublication on December 19, 2016, of a letter published in his name in theFrench newspaper Le Monde which urged Paris and Berlin to “reassesstheir relationship with [members of the Gulf Cooperation Council], whichactively work against democracy and human rights and fan the flames of violenceand extremism.”

“The publicprosecution has failed to provide any evidence of wrongdoing against Nabeel.Yet he has been detained for 282 days. There is no presumption of innocence, heis already serving a sentence without any conviction. Pending charges must bedropped and he must be immediately and unconditionally released,” added theorganisations.

NabeelRajab, is the co-founder and President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights(BCHR), Founding Director of GCHR, Deputy Secretary General of FIDH and amember of the Middle East advisory committee at Human Rights Watch.

Whilein detention he is being held in solitary confinement the vast majority of thetime and denied access to proper care, despite the impact on his health.International NGOs are not able to gain access to Nabeel Rajab in prison, norhave they been authorised to visit the country, making it extremely difficultfor them to monitor the trial.

Formore details on his case, see statement by ANHRI, Front Line Defenders, GCHRand the Observatory, please see: http://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/1460