Bahrain rights activist Nabeel Rajab rearrested after twitter post

Bahrain has arrested a prominent human rights activist and critic of the country’s ruling family, the Interior Ministry and an activist said on Sunday, as the authorities escalated a crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

With 140,000 Twitter followers, Mr Rajab is a high-profile user of the micro-blogging website and a vocal critic of Bahrain’s ruler, King Hamad al-Khalifa.

Mr Rajab, a Shia Muslim and head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was arrested on 5 May but released last week on bail.

Mr. Rajab is fighting for both Shia and Sunni Muslims’ fundamental rights.

He remains on trial in three cases, including for using social networking sites to incite rallies and defaming Bahrain’s security forces.

In a hearing on Wednesday, relating to a charge of staging illegal protests, he told the court that all charges against him were “vindictive accusations.”

“I was targeted because I was exercising my right to defend human rights, which is a right that is stipulated by the Bahraini constitution,” he said.

The hearing was adjourned until 12 June.

Last year, Bahrain cracked down on Shia-led protests against the ruling Sunni al-Khalifa family.

Dozens of people died in the unrest, and rights activists have been routinely prosecuted by the authorities, drawing international criticism.