DUBAI, May 6: Bahrain has arrested a prominent human rights activist and critic of the country’s ruling family, the ministry of interior and an activist said on Sunday, as the authorities cracked down on pro-democracy protesters.

Police arrested Nabeel Rajab, head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), when he returned from Beirut on Saturday evening, Sayed Yousif Almuhafda, a member of the BCHR said.

“The police arrested him near the plane’s door. They said they had an arrest warrant from the public prosecutions office ... He was allowed to call his family after the arrest yesterday (Saturday) but they could not see him,” Almuhafda said by telephone from Manama.

“We don’t know what the new charges are yet,” he said, adding that Rajab is already facing old charges of calling for and taking part in unauthorised protests.—Reuters