Bahrain: Nabeel Rajab granted bail, but remains in prison

Prominent Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab is to remain in prison, despite being granted bail. Rajab, who was arrested earlier this month, was granted bail on the charge of “insulting an official authority”, but remains in prison on a second charge of “organising illegal demonstrations”. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights head faces two years in prison if convicted of the second charge. The first charge relates to four posts on Twitter which suggested the interior ministry had not carried out proper investigations into civilian deaths.

Bahrain: Four protestors sentenced to death

Yesterday (27 April) a Bahraini military court has sentenced four protestors to death and a further three to life in prison. The seven people were convicted of killing two policemen during protests in the country last month. While the foreign press was barred from entering the courtroom, selected journalists from the state-run media were allowed to attend. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights condemned the verdict and called on the authorities to reverse their decision.

Bahrain: CNN News team arrested outside activist’s private residence

Members of CNN’s news team were arrested by the government’s security forces as they were visiting the house of Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.

Twenty men in black ski masks are reported to have surrounded the news team and confiscated their recording equipment. Government officials have alleged that the team was detained at a checkpoint for not having the proper identification paers. CNN denies the claim and insists its reporters were subject to intimidation and censorship.