Nabeel Rajab, a man I respect and admire very much, who is a symbol and hero to many Bahrainis was dealt an unexpectedly large sentence today – 3 years in prison- for attending and instigating illegal gatherings. Rajab, who is already serving a three-month sentence for posting anti-government comments on Twitter, was in court for the verdict. He is president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights.
Bahrain has experienced near daily protests since February 2011 following an uprising by the kingdom’s Shiite majority seeking greater political rights from the Western-backed Sunni monarchy. At least 50 people have died in the unrest and hundreds have been detained, including prominent rights activists and Shiite opposition leaders.
Rajab’s arrest will certainly motivate even more “illegal” gatherings. Hopefully, the excessive sentence of such a prominent human rights advocate will give western politicians the proof they need that “…Bahrain’s rulers are far more comfortable with harsh repression than with the reforms King Hamad keeps promising,” as Joe Stork, deputy director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East and North Africa division said.
I can almost hear the enraged chant of “Down, Down Hamad” now.
For Those Who Can't Fight 