Nabeel Rajab
Encyclopedia
Nabeel Rajab was one of the founders of the first migrant workers protection committee in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the Migrant Workers Protection Group (in 2003).
On 28 April 2007, the Bahraini Parliament passed a law banning unmarried migrant workers from living in residential areas. BCHR
issued a press release condemning this decision as discriminatory and promoting negative racist attitudes towards migrant workers. Nabeel Rajab, then BCHR vice president, said:
In October 2009 Nabeel was elected Chairperson of CARAM Asia for 2 years. CARAM is a regional non-governmental organization
, based in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur
, that works to defend the rights of migrant workers, reduce the risks to which their communities are vulnerable, including HIV
, and promote their health rights.
On 24 February 2010, Nabeel Rajab addressed the "World Congress against the Death Penalty" conference in Geneva
on the subject of "Migrant Workers and the Death Penalty in Bahrain
& Saudi Arabia
". He drew attention to the exceptional vulnerability of migrant workers in countries with systemic abuses and rights violations.
and North African division of Human Rights Watch
.
In July 2010 the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) appointed Rajab to the position of Deputy Secretary General and FIDH permanent representative in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. In March 2011 Nabeel Rajab was elected Deputy Chairperson of the Arab
media monitoring group for a 2 year period.
In Bahrain, Nabeel Rajab supports the victims of Human rights
violations for example by accompanying them at peaceful sit-ins and helping them obtain legal support.
As President of Bahrain Center for Human Rights, he is involved in monitoring and reporting human rights violations in Bahrain and the wider region. Bahrain Center for Human Rights, whose website is blocked in Bahrain, is the principal human rights body documenting human rights violation in Bahrain and reporting them to international human rights organizations and UN mechanisms for human rights.
At forums and seminars on human rights he has drawn attention to the situation concerning Human rights in Bahrain
and the region and called on the international community to take action. He has also participated in multiple fact-finding missions organized by international non-governmental organizations, including FIDH missions investigating Torture, Enforced Disappearances, Arbitrary Arrests, Detentions and Fair Trial Guarantees in Yemen (August 2009) and Terrorism and Human Rights in the Philippines
Fighting Terror or Terrorizing?.
Democracy Award, presented annually by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
. Because he "has worked tirelessly and at considerable personal peril to advance the cause of democratic freedoms and the civil rights of Bahraini citizens".
The purpose of the Ion Ratiu Democracy Award is to bring visibility and international recognition to the ideas and accomplishments of individuals around the world who are working on behalf of democracy.
The award strives to enrich the intellectual environment in which ideas about democracy and democratic change circulate, both within and beyond Washington. Sponsored in cooperation With the Ratiu Family Charitable Foundation (London, UK) and the Ratiu Center for Democracy (Turda, Romania), the award expresses the deep commitment to democracy ofthe late Ion Ratiu through his contributions as a Romanian politician and.intellectual as well as his interest in democratic change worldwide.
The Silbury Fund is a UK registered charity which, since its foundation in 1973 has supported numerous individuals and educational projects concerned with the promotion of human rights, democracy and fighting racism.
On 15 July 2005, Nabeel was beaten by Special Forces whilst attending a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with the Committee for the Unemployed. He suffered a spinal injury, a broken finger, a fractured arm and a head injury and was hospitalised for two weeks as a result (see pictures). He continues to suffer the consequences of the spinal injury.
In March 2007, Nabeel was interrogated by the Office of the Public Prosecutor in relation to an article published by BCHR
about the 'Bandargate Scandal', a government plan to marginalize the majority Shia community in Bahrain.
In 2007 the organisation Front Line
(International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders) which campaigns to protect human rights defenders at risk who work, non-violently, for the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, expressed deep concern that ongoing intimidation and harassment was intended to discourage Nabeel Rajab from carrying out legitimate peaceful activities in defence of human rights in Bahrain, citing in particular the rights of freedom of expression and opinion, freedom of assembly and freedom of association.
In August 2009, Nabeel Rajab was arrested for a few hours after attending a peaceful sit-in in front of the Saudi Arabian embassy in solidarity with Al-Murbati family one of whose family members has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for 7 years without trial.
In September 2010 Nabeel Rajab's photograph was published a number of times by the government-owned Alwatan Newspaper which accused him of supporting an alleged terrorism network and being "active in publishing false reports and information". On September 4, 2010, the Bahrain National News Agency (BNA) published a statement coming from the national security services which referred to Rajab as having been officially accused of involvement in the alleged terrorist network and posted his picture at the agency website. The following day the agency removed Mr. Rajab’s name and photo from the statement.
During this time, the authorities imposed a ban preventing Nabeel Rajab from engaging in any new business in Bahrain
that made it difficult for him to earn a living. The ban was subsequently lifted without any justification having been given for it.
When the security crackdown in mid August 2010 started many human rights defenders were arrested. An order for Nabeel Rajab's arrest was issued on 8 September 2010 but was cancelled on 18 October 2010. Nabeel was the subject of a travel ban between September 2010 to October 2010.
On 2 December 2010, Nabeel Rajab was detained by national security police for an hour at Manama airport as he was about to fly to Greece. He was subjected to selective security measures, threatened and his personal laptop and mobile phone were confiscated (along with the other electronic devices in his possession). All the files and other information on these devices were copied, including family pictures and files related to Rajab's human rights work.
Rajab's phone and electronic communication are closely monitored, as the questioning of current detainees about their relationship and work with Rajab has revealed.
In December 2010 Human Rights Watch
commented that although Bahrain's leaders repeatedly insisted that the Bahraini government respected human rights, its harassment of Nabeel Rajab told another story.
An anonymous defamatory campaign against Nabeel Rajab and Maryam Alkhawaja
was launched in early May 2011, with the active and passive support of the Bahraini authorities.
, a suburb of the capital, Manama
.
On April 10, officials publicly accused Rajab of fabricating photos posted on his twitter
account of the body of Ali Isa Ibrahim Saqer, who died in detention on April 9. The photos showed slash marks all over his back and other signs of physical abuse. A Human Rights Watch researcher saw Saqer's body just prior to his burial and said the photos were accurate. According to PBS news hour on 17 May 2011, "Five prison guards are being charged with Saqer's death. That's according to Bahrain's Minister of Justice Sheikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdulla al Khalifa, one of the royal family".
In the early hours of April 18, 2011 unknown assailants lobbed teargas grenades into the home of Nabeel Rajab in the village of Bani Jamra. Tear gas penetrated into the adjacent home of Rajab's 78-year-old mother who suffers from respiratory disease, causing her great distress. To Human Rights Watch's knowledge, only Bahrain's security forces have access to the types of grenades thrown into the Rajab family's compound.
For the second time since the start of 2011 Bahraini uprising
Nabeel Rajab's house was attacked by unknown assailants in the early hours of 21 May. Four gas grenades were fired at the house at 3:30 am Saturday in the village of Bani Jamra
, Bahrain, and two broke through the windows in quarters occupied by his brother, Nader, and his family. A third went off in the compound. After an attack in mid-April, Human Rights Watch
noted that the grenades were manufactured in the United States
and were of a type to which only the Bahrain Defense Authorities had access. Now it appears the Bahraini government has found a new supplier. Rajab said:
On 23 May, Nabeel Rajab claimed that his uncle, Moh'd Hassan Moh'd Jawad (65 years), an arrested activist is currently being tortured due to his relation to Nabeel Rajab.
On 29 May, Nabeel Rajab was prevented from traveling to Beirut
to attend an IFEX
meeting by airport security forces. In reaction, Nabeel Rajab protested briefly outside airport.
On 31 May, just shortly after Hamad Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain
asked for dialogue without preconditions to begin early July of this year, the military court (of Bahrain Defence Force) issued an order for Nabeel Rajab along with Ali Salman
head of Al Wefaq
, Bahrain's biggest political party and 3 of Al Wefaq's
resigned MPs: head of the block Abdul-Jalil Khalil, former vice president of lower parliament room Khalil Al-Marzooq
and former vice president of legalization committee Mohammed Al-Mizaal. The order accused Nabeel Rajab for spreading false news and statements about the situation in Bahrain
and promoting to hate and disrespect a specific sect. (see picture). He was also accused to humiliating king of Bahrain. All of them were released in the same day.
On 11 June, Nabeel Rajab attended 'Homeland for all' gathering in Saar which was organized by Al-Wefaq party.
On 18 June, Bahrain
i authorities prevented Nabeel Rajab from traveling to a conference in Cairo
which he was invited to by Amnesty International
.
On 19 August Nabeel was called by an anonymous claiming that he had to go to police station in Hamad Town for investigation about his Twitter activity. Nabeel refused to go unless an official order was given. Later in the same day an official order was provided. (Picture). The reason for the investigation was an article published by BCHR website which was titled "Some members of the Bahraini royal family beating & torturing political prisoners", but the investigation included his Twitter activity.
Although expecting arrest at any minute, during the recent crackdown Rajab has continued his work of documenting and reporting human right violations, securing international support and helping provide the families of detainees with moral support. He has been adept in using the new social media technology to raise awareness and distribute the latest information about the situation in Bahrain.
Nabeel Rajab has welcomed the principle of dialogue as offering the only way out of the current political crisis, but has criticized the current dialogue and considers it wrong to participate in a fake dialogue that provokes sectarian tensions instead of resolving the current conflict. He said:
, Jaafar Mayouf and Abdulrasool Al-Hijiari.
On 6 July Nabeel Rajab along with Al-Wefaq former MP Sayed Hadi Al-Mosawi and some human rights defenders visited the families of victims Ali Mushaima
and Bahia Al-Aradi.
In April, international doctors' organizations Médecins Sans Frontières
and Physicians for Human Rights
reported medical staff and patients were systematically detained from Bahraini hospitals by assailants allegedly acting on government orders. UK medics have stated that Bahrain is violating the Geneva Convention.
A group of Irish doctors, politicians and human rights representatives traveled to Bahrain to highlight the plight of medics facing trial after they were arrested during pro-democracy protests in the Gulf monarchy earlier this year.
The Bahraini authorities have indicated they are not keen on the visit by the group, which is being led by orthopaedic surgeon Damian McCormack. Officials at the Bahraini embassy in London yesterday reiterated that they would prefer if the visit took place in October, when reconciliation talks, which began earlier this month, will have concluded.
The group, which includes Independent MEP Marian Harkin, Fianna Fáil senator Averil Power and former minister for foreign affairs David Andrews, last week received a letter of support from Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore.
The delegation have visited Nabeel Rajab in his house on 15 July.
and Twitter
, where he posts educational messages on human rights in addition to updates about human rights violations. He uses Facebook and Twitter to empower people around the Gulf region by demonstrating how social media can be used to enhance the region's human rights culture.
In the 2011 Forbes
list of the top 100 Arabs on Twitter
, Nabeel Rajab was ranked number 43 with 36040 followers (currently 78,489 - November 2011). He was ranked number 2 in Bahrain behind foreign minister Khalid Al-Khalifa who congratulated him after the results were posted.
account of the Bahraini Ali Issa Saqr, who had died in Bahrain prison. The Ministry accused Rajab of fabricating the pictures showing signs of torture on Sakr's body. Rajab denied fabricating the photograph and held the Bahraini security services responsible for Sakr's death. Bahraini activists maintained that the photographs show that Saqr he was tortured and killed while in police custody.
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information noted that Rajab's would be the first trial for tweeting (publishing information on Twitter
) anywhere in the Arab world and an illustration of the Bahraini government's "implacable hostility ... against the freedom of expression and Internet freedom". ANHRI accused the Bahraini government of not being prepared to overlook any means of expression of opinion as it restricted citizens's ability to engage in the peaceful expression of their views.
On 28 April 2007, the Bahraini Parliament passed a law banning unmarried migrant workers from living in residential areas. BCHR
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is a Bahraini non-profit non-governmental organisation which works to promote human rights in Bahrain, which was founded by a number of Bahraini activist in June 2002...
issued a press release condemning this decision as discriminatory and promoting negative racist attitudes towards migrant workers. Nabeel Rajab, then BCHR vice president, said:
In October 2009 Nabeel was elected Chairperson of CARAM Asia for 2 years. CARAM is a regional non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, based in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, that works to defend the rights of migrant workers, reduce the risks to which their communities are vulnerable, including HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
, and promote their health rights.
On 24 February 2010, Nabeel Rajab addressed the "World Congress against the Death Penalty" conference in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
on the subject of "Migrant Workers and the Death Penalty in Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
& Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
". He drew attention to the exceptional vulnerability of migrant workers in countries with systemic abuses and rights violations.
Work with other international Human Rights organizations
Since December 2009, Nabeel has been a member of the Board of Advisors of the Middle EastMiddle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and North African division of Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
.
In July 2010 the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) appointed Rajab to the position of Deputy Secretary General and FIDH permanent representative in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. In March 2011 Nabeel Rajab was elected Deputy Chairperson of the Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
media monitoring group for a 2 year period.
Human rights activities
As a human rights defender Nabeel Rajab has worked to promote a culture of human rights and defend civil and political rights and liberties both inside and outside Bahrain. While promoting the rights of all, his work has focused in particular on fighting discrimination and protecting migrant workers.In Bahrain, Nabeel Rajab supports the victims of Human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
violations for example by accompanying them at peaceful sit-ins and helping them obtain legal support.
As President of Bahrain Center for Human Rights, he is involved in monitoring and reporting human rights violations in Bahrain and the wider region. Bahrain Center for Human Rights, whose website is blocked in Bahrain, is the principal human rights body documenting human rights violation in Bahrain and reporting them to international human rights organizations and UN mechanisms for human rights.
At forums and seminars on human rights he has drawn attention to the situation concerning Human rights in Bahrain
Human rights in Bahrain
Bahrain's record on human rights has been described by Human Rights Watch as "dismal", and having "deteriorated sharply in the latter half of 2010"....
and the region and called on the international community to take action. He has also participated in multiple fact-finding missions organized by international non-governmental organizations, including FIDH missions investigating Torture, Enforced Disappearances, Arbitrary Arrests, Detentions and Fair Trial Guarantees in Yemen (August 2009) and Terrorism and Human Rights in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Fighting Terror or Terrorizing?.
2011 Ion Ratiu Democracy Award
On 28 July, it was announced that Nabeel Rajab will receive the 2011 Ion RatiuIon Ratiu
Ion Raţiu was a Romanian politician and the presidential candidate of the National Peasants' Party in the 1990 elections, in which he ranked third with 4.29% of the vote.-Biography:...
Democracy Award, presented annually by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars , located in Washington, D.C., is a United States Presidential Memorial that was established as part of the Smithsonian Institution by an act of Congress in 1968...
. Because he "has worked tirelessly and at considerable personal peril to advance the cause of democratic freedoms and the civil rights of Bahraini citizens".
The purpose of the Ion Ratiu Democracy Award is to bring visibility and international recognition to the ideas and accomplishments of individuals around the world who are working on behalf of democracy.
The award strives to enrich the intellectual environment in which ideas about democracy and democratic change circulate, both within and beyond Washington. Sponsored in cooperation With the Ratiu Family Charitable Foundation (London, UK) and the Ratiu Center for Democracy (Turda, Romania), the award expresses the deep commitment to democracy ofthe late Ion Ratiu through his contributions as a Romanian politician and.intellectual as well as his interest in democratic change worldwide.
The Silbury Prize
On 13 September, Nabeel Rajab received the Silbury Prize to "facilitate his on-going humanitarian and human rights work". Lord Avebury, a trustee and Secretary of the Parliamentary Human Rights Group, said: “This latest crackdown follows the severe attacks on doctors, other professionals, trade unionists and human rights activists; extreme violence against peaceful demonstrators, and show trials of leading members of the opposition”.The Silbury Fund is a UK registered charity which, since its foundation in 1973 has supported numerous individuals and educational projects concerned with the promotion of human rights, democracy and fighting racism.
Threats and harassment
Since 2005, Nabeel Rajab has been the subject of ongoing harassment including physical attacks and smear campaigns in the media (official TV, radio channels, Bahrain news agency and newspapers close to government). In a postal campaign targeting Rajab and his wife thousands of letters were distributed accusing him and his wife of being traitors and including his photo. Thousands of telephone text messages were sent to people in Bahrain via a company in South Africa that was paid through the private account of Sheikh Ahmed bin Ateyatalla Al-Khalifa, former Minister of state. The complaints filed by Rajab and his wife filed with the Office of the Public Prosecutor were ignored and never investigated.On 15 July 2005, Nabeel was beaten by Special Forces whilst attending a peaceful demonstration in solidarity with the Committee for the Unemployed. He suffered a spinal injury, a broken finger, a fractured arm and a head injury and was hospitalised for two weeks as a result (see pictures). He continues to suffer the consequences of the spinal injury.
In March 2007, Nabeel was interrogated by the Office of the Public Prosecutor in relation to an article published by BCHR
Bahrain Centre for Human Rights
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is a Bahraini non-profit non-governmental organisation which works to promote human rights in Bahrain, which was founded by a number of Bahraini activist in June 2002...
about the 'Bandargate Scandal', a government plan to marginalize the majority Shia community in Bahrain.
In 2007 the organisation Front Line
Front line
A front line is the farthest-most forward position of an armed force's personnel and equipment - generally in respect of maritime or land forces. Forward Line of Own Troops , or Forward Edge of Battle Area are technical terms used by all branches of the armed services...
(International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders) which campaigns to protect human rights defenders at risk who work, non-violently, for the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, expressed deep concern that ongoing intimidation and harassment was intended to discourage Nabeel Rajab from carrying out legitimate peaceful activities in defence of human rights in Bahrain, citing in particular the rights of freedom of expression and opinion, freedom of assembly and freedom of association.
In August 2009, Nabeel Rajab was arrested for a few hours after attending a peaceful sit-in in front of the Saudi Arabian embassy in solidarity with Al-Murbati family one of whose family members has been imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for 7 years without trial.
In September 2010 Nabeel Rajab's photograph was published a number of times by the government-owned Alwatan Newspaper which accused him of supporting an alleged terrorism network and being "active in publishing false reports and information". On September 4, 2010, the Bahrain National News Agency (BNA) published a statement coming from the national security services which referred to Rajab as having been officially accused of involvement in the alleged terrorist network and posted his picture at the agency website. The following day the agency removed Mr. Rajab’s name and photo from the statement.
During this time, the authorities imposed a ban preventing Nabeel Rajab from engaging in any new business in Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
that made it difficult for him to earn a living. The ban was subsequently lifted without any justification having been given for it.
When the security crackdown in mid August 2010 started many human rights defenders were arrested. An order for Nabeel Rajab's arrest was issued on 8 September 2010 but was cancelled on 18 October 2010. Nabeel was the subject of a travel ban between September 2010 to October 2010.
On 2 December 2010, Nabeel Rajab was detained by national security police for an hour at Manama airport as he was about to fly to Greece. He was subjected to selective security measures, threatened and his personal laptop and mobile phone were confiscated (along with the other electronic devices in his possession). All the files and other information on these devices were copied, including family pictures and files related to Rajab's human rights work.
Rajab's phone and electronic communication are closely monitored, as the questioning of current detainees about their relationship and work with Rajab has revealed.
In December 2010 Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
commented that although Bahrain's leaders repeatedly insisted that the Bahraini government respected human rights, its harassment of Nabeel Rajab told another story.
An anonymous defamatory campaign against Nabeel Rajab and Maryam Alkhawaja
Maryam Alkhawaja
Maryam Abdulhadi Alkhawaja is a Bahraini human rights defenders. She is the daughter of the prominent Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi Alkhawaja and head of the foreign relations office for Bahrain Center for Human Rights.-Early life:Maryam's was born in Syria to then-exiled Abdulhadi...
was launched in early May 2011, with the active and passive support of the Bahraini authorities.
Involvement in the 2011 Bahraini uprising
On 20 March 2011, after Nabeel Rajab condemned the Bahrain government's use of force against peaceful protesters in the 2011 Bahraini uprising and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights accused Bahraini forces and their Saudi and Emirati allies of "massacres" after four protesters were killed, Rajab was briefly detained by 20 to 25 masked men, some armed with rifles along with dozens of uniformed Bahraini security forces at 1:30am who broke in and searched his house, confiscated his files and a computer. They allegedly blindfolded and handcuffed him then put him into the back of a vehicle before verbally abusing, beating and threatening to rape him. He was reported saying: Rajab was subsequently released after questioning -about a man being sought whom Rajab did not know- in a detention facility run by the Ministry of Interior in AdliyaAdliya
Adliya is the bohemian neighborhood in Manama, Bahrain.The district is a multicultural, busy area, a home to commerce, culture and entertainment, and it is considered as one of the four centres of Manama's nightlife....
, a suburb of the capital, Manama
Manama
Manama is the capital and largest city of Bahrain, with an approximate population of 155,000 people.Long an important trading center in the Persian Gulf, Manama is home to a very diverse population...
.
On April 10, officials publicly accused Rajab of fabricating photos posted on his twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account of the body of Ali Isa Ibrahim Saqer, who died in detention on April 9. The photos showed slash marks all over his back and other signs of physical abuse. A Human Rights Watch researcher saw Saqer's body just prior to his burial and said the photos were accurate. According to PBS news hour on 17 May 2011, "Five prison guards are being charged with Saqer's death. That's according to Bahrain's Minister of Justice Sheikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdulla al Khalifa, one of the royal family".
In the early hours of April 18, 2011 unknown assailants lobbed teargas grenades into the home of Nabeel Rajab in the village of Bani Jamra. Tear gas penetrated into the adjacent home of Rajab's 78-year-old mother who suffers from respiratory disease, causing her great distress. To Human Rights Watch's knowledge, only Bahrain's security forces have access to the types of grenades thrown into the Rajab family's compound.
For the second time since the start of 2011 Bahraini uprising
2011 Bahraini uprising
The 2011 Bahraini uprising, sometimes called the February 14 Revolution is a series of demonstrations, amounting to a sustained campaign of civil resistance, in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain...
Nabeel Rajab's house was attacked by unknown assailants in the early hours of 21 May. Four gas grenades were fired at the house at 3:30 am Saturday in the village of Bani Jamra
Bani Jamra
Bani Jamra is a village in the north-west of Bahrain. It lies east of Budaiya and south of Diraz. It is administered under the Northern Governorate. Before the discovery of oil in Bahrain, most of inhabitants were involved in farming, especially date palms...
, Bahrain, and two broke through the windows in quarters occupied by his brother, Nader, and his family. A third went off in the compound. After an attack in mid-April, Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
noted that the grenades were manufactured in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and were of a type to which only the Bahrain Defense Authorities had access. Now it appears the Bahraini government has found a new supplier. Rajab said:
On 23 May, Nabeel Rajab claimed that his uncle, Moh'd Hassan Moh'd Jawad (65 years), an arrested activist is currently being tortured due to his relation to Nabeel Rajab.
On 29 May, Nabeel Rajab was prevented from traveling to Beirut
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
to attend an IFEX
International Freedom of Expression Exchange
The International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....
meeting by airport security forces. In reaction, Nabeel Rajab protested briefly outside airport.
On 31 May, just shortly after Hamad Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain
King of Bahrain
The King of Bahrain is the monarch and head of state of Bahrain. Between 1783 and 1971, the Bahraini monarch held the title of Hakim, and, from 1971 until 2002, the title of Emir...
asked for dialogue without preconditions to begin early July of this year, the military court (of Bahrain Defence Force) issued an order for Nabeel Rajab along with Ali Salman
Ali Salman
Ali Salman is the president of the Al-Wefaq political society in Bahrain. He is a Twelver Shi'a cleric educated in Qom. In January 1995 the Bahraini government forcibly exiled him to Dubai for leading a popular campaign demanding the reinstatement of the constitution and the restoration of...
head of Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society , also known as the Islamic National Accord Association, is a Bahraini political society, and the largest party in the Bahrain, both in terms of its membership and its results at the polls...
, Bahrain's biggest political party and 3 of Al Wefaq's
Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society , also known as the Islamic National Accord Association, is a Bahraini political society, and the largest party in the Bahrain, both in terms of its membership and its results at the polls...
resigned MPs: head of the block Abdul-Jalil Khalil, former vice president of lower parliament room Khalil Al-Marzooq
Khalil Al-Marzooq
Khalil Al-Marzooq is a Bahraini Shi'a politician and former member of the Council of Representatives. During his time in office, he served as first deputy chairman....
and former vice president of legalization committee Mohammed Al-Mizaal. The order accused Nabeel Rajab for spreading false news and statements about the situation in Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
and promoting to hate and disrespect a specific sect. (see picture). He was also accused to humiliating king of Bahrain. All of them were released in the same day.
On 11 June, Nabeel Rajab attended 'Homeland for all' gathering in Saar which was organized by Al-Wefaq party.
On 18 June, Bahrain
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
i authorities prevented Nabeel Rajab from traveling to a conference in Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
which he was invited to by Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
.
On 19 August Nabeel was called by an anonymous claiming that he had to go to police station in Hamad Town for investigation about his Twitter activity. Nabeel refused to go unless an official order was given. Later in the same day an official order was provided. (Picture). The reason for the investigation was an article published by BCHR website which was titled "Some members of the Bahraini royal family beating & torturing political prisoners", but the investigation included his Twitter activity.
Although expecting arrest at any minute, during the recent crackdown Rajab has continued his work of documenting and reporting human right violations, securing international support and helping provide the families of detainees with moral support. He has been adept in using the new social media technology to raise awareness and distribute the latest information about the situation in Bahrain.
The Bahraini "National Dialogue"
On 31 May, the king of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, called for a national dialogue to resolve ongoing tensions. However the seriousness and effectiveness of the dialogue has been disputed by many opposition figures - it has even been referred to disparagingly as a "chitchat room".Nabeel Rajab's view
Nabeel Rajab has welcomed the principle of dialogue as offering the only way out of the current political crisis, but has criticized the current dialogue and considers it wrong to participate in a fake dialogue that provokes sectarian tensions instead of resolving the current conflict. He said:
Right of Self-Determination
Nabeel Rajab supported the protesters demands when they called for Right of Self-Determination. He supported and participated in both gatherings of 'Right of Self Determination' in late June and early July.Visits to Victims families
Nabeel Rajab started a campaign with some human rights and political activist to visit victims families to support them. On 25 June Nabeel Rajab along with human rights activist Mohammed Al-Maskati, head of BYSHR, Al-Wefaq former MP Sayed Hadi Al-Mosawi and others visited the families of victims Ali Mansoor Khudhair and Ahmed Farhan. On 28 June Nabeel Rajab and Al-Wefaq former MP Sayed Hadi Al-Mosawi Visited the family of victim Ali Al-Mo'men. After the visit Nabeel Rajab said: On 3 July Nabeel Rajab visited the families of victims Fadhel Al-MatrookDeath of Fadhel Al-Matrook
Fadhel Salman Ali Salman Ali Al-Matrook was a 31-year-old Bahraini who died in hospital on 15 February 2011 after reportedly being hit in the back and chest by bird pellet gunshots fired from short distance by Bahraini security forces during the 2011 Bahraini uprising...
, Jaafar Mayouf and Abdulrasool Al-Hijiari.
On 6 July Nabeel Rajab along with Al-Wefaq former MP Sayed Hadi Al-Mosawi and some human rights defenders visited the families of victims Ali Mushaima
Death of Ali Abdulhadi Mushaima
Ali Abdulhadi Mushiama was a 21-year-old Bahraini who died in hospital on the evening of Monday, 14 February 2011 after reportedly being hit in the back by bird pellet gunshots fired from short distance by Bahraini security forces during the 2011 Bahraini uprising...
and Bahia Al-Aradi.
Irish fact finding delegation
Since March, 47 Bahraini doctors, nurses, and paramedics have been charged and detained for supporting protesters during this year's pro-reform demonstrations that have swept across Bahrain. Another, a doctor, left the country without having been detained.In April, international doctors' organizations Médecins Sans Frontières
Médecins Sans Frontières
' , or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic diseases. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland...
and Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights
Physicians for Human Rights was founded in 1986 by a small group of doctors who believed the unique scientific expertise and authority of health professionals could bring human rights violations to light and provide justice for victims...
reported medical staff and patients were systematically detained from Bahraini hospitals by assailants allegedly acting on government orders. UK medics have stated that Bahrain is violating the Geneva Convention.
A group of Irish doctors, politicians and human rights representatives traveled to Bahrain to highlight the plight of medics facing trial after they were arrested during pro-democracy protests in the Gulf monarchy earlier this year.
The Bahraini authorities have indicated they are not keen on the visit by the group, which is being led by orthopaedic surgeon Damian McCormack. Officials at the Bahraini embassy in London yesterday reiterated that they would prefer if the visit took place in October, when reconciliation talks, which began earlier this month, will have concluded.
The group, which includes Independent MEP Marian Harkin, Fianna Fáil senator Averil Power and former minister for foreign affairs David Andrews, last week received a letter of support from Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore.
The delegation have visited Nabeel Rajab in his house on 15 July.
Criticism to United States
On 26 July Al Jazeera English published an interview with Nabeel Rajab in which he criticized the US role in Bahrain. "The silence of United States has disappointed people very much" He said "It is very clear now that the United States democracy and human rights are only applied in countries which they have problems with, not with dictatorships that they have good relations with" He added.Online Activity
Nabeel has been active in promoting the culture of human rights through the online media, especially FacebookFacebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
and Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, where he posts educational messages on human rights in addition to updates about human rights violations. He uses Facebook and Twitter to empower people around the Gulf region by demonstrating how social media can be used to enhance the region's human rights culture.
In the 2011 Forbes
Forbes
Forbes is an American publishing and media company. Its flagship publication, the Forbes magazine, is published biweekly. Its primary competitors in the national business magazine category are Fortune, which is also published biweekly, and Business Week...
list of the top 100 Arabs on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
, Nabeel Rajab was ranked number 43 with 36040 followers (currently 78,489 - November 2011). He was ranked number 2 in Bahrain behind foreign minister Khalid Al-Khalifa who congratulated him after the results were posted.
First Arab Twitter prosecution
In April 2011 the Bahraini Interior Ministry announced that Rajab would be prosecuted by a military court for the offence of publishing an image on his personal TwitterTwitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account of the Bahraini Ali Issa Saqr, who had died in Bahrain prison. The Ministry accused Rajab of fabricating the pictures showing signs of torture on Sakr's body. Rajab denied fabricating the photograph and held the Bahraini security services responsible for Sakr's death. Bahraini activists maintained that the photographs show that Saqr he was tortured and killed while in police custody.
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information noted that Rajab's would be the first trial for tweeting (publishing information on Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
) anywhere in the Arab world and an illustration of the Bahraini government's "implacable hostility ... against the freedom of expression and Internet freedom". ANHRI accused the Bahraini government of not being prepared to overlook any means of expression of opinion as it restricted citizens's ability to engage in the peaceful expression of their views.
See also
- Bahrain Center for Human RightsBahrain Centre for Human RightsThe Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is a Bahraini non-profit non-governmental organisation which works to promote human rights in Bahrain, which was founded by a number of Bahraini activist in June 2002...
- Abdulhadi Alkhawaja
- 2011 Bahraini uprising2011 Bahraini uprisingThe 2011 Bahraini uprising, sometimes called the February 14 Revolution is a series of demonstrations, amounting to a sustained campaign of civil resistance, in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain...
- 1990s Uprising in Bahrain1990s Uprising in BahrainThe 1990s Uprising in Bahrain or 1990s Intifada was an uprising in Bahrain between 1994 and 2000 in which leftists, liberals and Islamists joined forces...
- Human Rights WatchHuman Rights WatchHuman Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
- International Federation for Human Rights
- Bahrain Human Rights SocietyBahrain Human Rights SocietyThe Bahrain Human Rights Society was set up in 2002 following wide ranging political reforms by the Bahraini government to allow the functioning of independent human rights groups....
- Civil and political rights