Cairo on August 16, 2012
ANHRI denounces the judgment issued today against the human rights activist Nabeel Rajab of imprisonment for three years on charges of participating in unauthorized marches as well as his call for people to participate in demonstrations via “Twitter”.
The Minor Criminal Court VI convicted the activist Nabeel Rajab, in the hearing held today, in 3 cases, after being convicted of participate and call for unauthorized marches and call for demonstrations via his personal account on Twitter. The court judged of his imprisonment for 3 years. The authorities of Bahrain arrested him in the month of may 2012 and then released him on may 28, 2012 on bail of 300 dinars ($ 800), as well as setting another hearing to trial on June 17, 2012, which was adjourned to July 5, 2012 before being postponed again until the day of July 16, 2012, and during the hearing, Rajab’s lawyers, refused to view the video, which authorities claim that this is for Rajab during the demonstrations in a closed court hole different than the hole of the trial and at the end the case adjourned until today when the sentenced made against him.
He  worked as the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and currently the chairman of the Gulf Center for Human Rights. He has the membership of the Advisory Board of the Middle East and North Africa for Human Rights Watch.
In the same context, the Bahraini authorities arrested the activist “Mr. Sayyed Yusuf El-Mohafaza” the member of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, last night without any charges before being released in hours later.
ANHRI said that the sentence against “Nabeel Rajab”, is the latest episode of the use of the Bahraini authorities to Judiciary to get rid of pro-democracy activists and put them inside the prisons. Which is regular of the security forces and intensified after the widespread protests taking place in Bahrain since more than a year.
ANHRI added that the imprisoning of ” Nabeel Rajab”Today is a punishment for his use of his right to freedom of expression and his human rights activities as well as his defense of the oppressed and his call freedom and democracy that is lacked in Bahrain, despite the pledges of the King of Bahrain to make political and social reforms in the country following the protests in Bahrain in February 2011.
ANHRI calls  for the immediate release Nabeel Rajab and drop all charges against him, if the authorities want to prove that the trial of Rajab is not politically motivated and reprisals against activists. Participation in the peaceful demonstrations or calls for it is the most basic human rights in expressing his opinion, which is guaranteed by all the treaties and conventions international, which Bahrain breach it.

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