A PROMINENT BAHRAINI human rights activist has been found guilty of calling and participating in several illegal gatherings and sentenced to three years in jail.
The unexpectedly stiff sentence Thursday against Nabeel Rajab will raise questions about the Western-backed Sunni monarchy’s commitment to reform, and embolden anti-government protesters who have been demonstrating the past 18 months for greater rights in the Gulf island kingdom.
Rajab, who already is serving a three-month sentence for posting anti-government comments on Twitter, was in court for the verdict. He is president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
Rajab’s attorney Mohammed al-Jishi said each of three cases yielded a year imprisonment, for a total of three years. Al-Jishi said he plans to appeal the ruling.
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