BAHRAIN: Bomb threat in Manama as supporters of allegedly arrested human rights campaigner protest

Record ID: 357501

  • Title: BAHRAIN: Bomb threat in Manama as supporters of allegedly arrested human rights campaigner protest
  • Date: 7th May 2012
  • Summary: WIDE SHOT OF PROTESTERS CHANTING . WIDE SHOT OF PROTESTERS CHANTING "We demand change of regime"
  • Embargoed: 22nd May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Bahrain
  • Country: Bahrain
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA66KQISHGNW52HE1C1V9Z10TH4
  • Story Text: Security forces were called to the Saar Area of Bahrain's capital, Manama, on Sunday (May 6) to secure the area and to check for any possible bomb threat devices as the authorities escalate a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.
    Nabeel Rajab, head of Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), who is reported to have been arrested on his return from the Lebanese capital.
    Prosecutors questioned the prominent human rights activist and critic of the country's ruling family about his tweets on social media platform Twitter before he was taken to court on Sunday morning on previous charges of organising a protest inside Manama in March, a member of the BCHR told Reuters.
    Up to 200 people who gathered outside Rajab's home in Bani Jamra west of Manama on Sunday evening, chanting "down with (king) Hamad" and slogans demanding his release.
    Rajab shot to prominence last year when he became a trenchant campaigner against a government crackdown. With 140,000 followers on Twitter he is one of the most well-known online activists in the Arab world.
    Rajab faced charges of "inciting illegal rallies and marches online by using social networking websites" and posting "defamatory and humiliating depictions of the public security forces", an Information Affairs Authority statement said.
    The statement said his actions had provoked rioting but did not say if that accusation would feature in official charges against him.
    Bahrain, which is ruled by a Sunni Muslim monarchy and hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since activists mainly from the majority Shi'ite community began protests in February 2011 after successful revolts in Egypt and Tunisia.
    Authorities are also holding protest leader Zainab al-Khawaja after she demonstrated alone on a major highway in April. Prosecutors say she insulted women police officers.
    Khawaja became a symbol for protesters after she was dragged from a traffic roundabout in December by women riot police.
    Both Rajab and Khawaja, daughter of jailed uprising leader Abdulhadi al-Khawaja who is on a hunger strike, have been detained briefly on several occasions in the past year but this is the first time they were held with intent to press charges.
    Rajab and Khawaja have been a thorn in the government's side, organising peaceful protests inside Manama without licences - in contrast to the leading opposition party Wefaq which obtains Interior Ministry approval.
    The marches in Manama have sometimes ended violently when police fire tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the protesters and youths throw back petrol bombs.
    Their acts of civil disobedience have made them heroes to many Bahraini opposition activists.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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