Prominent Bahraini activist sentenced to 2 years prison
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One of Bahrain's most prominent activists was sentenced Monday to two years in prison in a verdict that rights groups say is the latest in a years-long crackdown on dissent that has seen all political opposition groups disbanded and activists jailed or forced into exile.
Nabeel Rajab was sentenced on charges related to TV interviews he gave in which prosecutors allege he disseminated rumors and false news relating to the situation inside Bahrain in a way "that undermines the prestige of the state," according to several human rights groups closely monitoring the case.
Rajab's case drew particular attention because he was a leading figure in the tiny island-nation's 2011 Arab Spring protests, when tens of thousands of Bahrainis, who are majority Shiite, took to the streets to demand a greater say in government from the Sunni monarchy.
Amnesty International said Rajab's verdict is "the latest shocking display of zero tolerance for freedom of expression by the Bahraini authorities."
