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Family of jailed Bahraini activist Rajab 'worried' Twitter activists jailed in Bahrain for insulting king
(about 3 hours later)
The wife of jailed Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab has told the BBC she is "very worried" about him. A court in Bahrain has sentenced six activists to a year in jail for insulting King Hamad in messages posted on Twitter.
Sumaya Rajab said she had been told by a relative of another prisoner that he had been moved from his cell. They were convicted for what the Bahraini public prosecutor called the "misuse of freedom of expression".
She said this happened after Mr Rajab called her on Tuesday telling her he had seen young prisoners being beaten. The sentences come as the government and courts continue their crackdown on protest and dissent.
However, prison authorities have denied the claims. Mr Rajab has served nearly 12 months of a two-year term for encouraging "illegal gatherings". Pro-democracy protests, both peaceful and violent, have rocked the Gulf island kingdom since February 2011.
The 48-year-old human rights activist has been one of the leaders of pro-democracy protests that have rocked the Gulf island kingdom since February 2011. One of those convicted was lawyer Mahdi al-Basri, who was held responsible for "offensive" tweets attacking King Hamad and the ruling al-Khalifa family.
Mrs Rajab said she met with the head of the prison on Wednesday, who told her that her husband "is OK and he is in his cell." Mr al-Basri did not send the tweets himself, but served as a lawyer for a community account that posted the material.
One human rights lawyer, who asked not to be named, said the conviction was part of a broader campaign of harassment by the government.
Mr al-Basri "wasn't even involved in any human rights cases and yet he has been jailed," the lawyer told the BBC.
The sentences were announced on Wednesday, the same day the family of jailed activist Nabeel Rajab told the BBC of their concerns for his wellbeing.
His wife Sumaya Rajab said she was "very worried" about him.
Mrs Rajab said she had been told by a relative of another prisoner that he had been moved from his cell. However, prison authorities denied the allegation.
Mrs Rajab said this happened after her husband called her on Tuesday, telling her he had seen young prisoners being beaten.
The claim spread very quickly on social network sites. Mr Rajab is the president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) and has over 200,000 followers on Twitter.
He has served nearly 12 months of a two-year term for encouraging "illegal gatherings".
Mrs Rajab said she met the head of the prison on Wednesday, who told her that her husband "is OK and he is in his cell."
But she said when she asked to see him "even for two minutes to see he was alright" her request was refused.But she said when she asked to see him "even for two minutes to see he was alright" her request was refused.
A government spokesperson contacted by the BBC confirmed that Mr Rajab had not been moved, and said that his wife could see him at a regularly scheduled visit next Monday. A government spokesperson contacted by the BBC said Mr Rajab had not been moved, and said that his wife could see him at a regularly scheduled visit next Monday.
Another prominent human rights activist Zainab al-Khawaja, who was jailed for three months in March, was sentenced last week to an additional three months in prison on a charge related to an illegal gathering, as authorities and the courts continue a crackdown on protest. Another prominent human rights activist, Zainab al-Khawaja, who was jailed for three months in March, was sentenced last week to an additional three months in prison on a charge related to an illegal gathering.
Her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja is currently serving a life sentence for plotting the overthrow of the government on evidence that is widely accepted as having been secured under torture. Her father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja is currently serving a life sentence for plotting the overthrow of the government, on evidence that is widely accepted as having been secured under torture.
Both he and his daughter have been refused family visits for refusing to wear prison uniforms.Both he and his daughter have been refused family visits for refusing to wear prison uniforms.
In another case, a lawyer was sentenced Wednesday to a year in jail after being held responsible for "offensive" tweets attacking King Hamad and the ruling al-Khalifa family.