Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab released from prison

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Human rights activist Nabeel Rajab was released, his lawyer Mohamed Al-Jishi said on Tuesday (June 9, 2020).

Rajab was sentenced on February 21, 2018 to 5 years in prison over posts criticizing Saudi raids in Yemen.

Rajab played a key role in pro-democracy protests in 2011. He is one of the prominent human rights defenders. He was the president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Founding Director of the Persian Gulf Centre for Human Rights and Deputy Secretary General of the International Federation for Human Rights.

Family of Nabeel Rajab issued a statement in this occasion in which they said "God blessed us today with the release of our dear brother Nabeel Rajab from prison, under the umbrella of the alternative penal code, where he will serve the remaining three years of his sentence in an alternative sentence defined by legal controls."

"We are glad to bring you this joyous news, as we are aware of your love for him and your sincere following of his conditions, but we ask everyone to understand the difficult health situation that the country and the world are going through with the outbreak of the deadly Coronavirus pandemic, given Nabeel's suffering from severe immune impairment, which makes him vulnerable to the contraction of the virus, and threat to his life. We apologize to all brothers and sisters who wish to welcome him and congratulate him for his release, [which won't be possible] until further notice."

The family explained that "Nabeel Rajab will have a phone number, through which all family and friends can contact him to congratulate him on his release taking into account the circumstances and that he is still subject to the alternative penal code. The phone number will be announced later."

There are over 3000 political detainees behind bars over the pro-democracy movement which started in 2011.

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