Dubai--Bahraini authorities arrested prominent Shiite activist Nabeel Rajab Thursday for spreading false news and defaming a state institution, the interior ministry said.
Rajab, who has already been sentenced to prison for his remarks on Twitter in a separate case, is a member of Bahrain's Shiite majority which has held protests against the Gulf kingdom's Sunni rulers since 2011.
The activist said in a video posted on YouTube after his latest arrest that he was the victim of an "attempt by the authorities to deprive me of my right to free expression".
His family said Rajab was arrested for posting comments on Twitter denouncing alleged torture in a prison where Shiite activists are held.
In January the activist was sentenced to six months in prison for insulting public institutions in his tweets. He is awaiting the result of an appeal in that case.
Rajab, who has led anti-government marches and heads the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was freed last May after serving two years in jail for taking part in unauthorised protests.
Bahrain, which is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been rocked by unrest since security forces crushed Shiite-led protests in 2011 demanding a constitutional monarchy and an elected prime minister.
Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman has been ordered to remain behind bars for the duration of his trial for allegations of trying to overthrow the regime.
AFP
