A court in Bahrain on Wednesday sentenced a prominent activist to five years in prison over tweets, criticising the Saudi Arabia's war in Yemen and alleging torture at a prison in his country.

The case against Nabeel Rajab, a major figure in the island nation's 2011 Arab Spring protests, has been widely criticised by the global community.

Rajab previously had been sentenced to two years in prison over television interviews he gave that included criticisms of Bahrain, an island off Saudi Arabia that's home to the United States Navy's 5th Fleet.

Rajab has been detained since June 2016 as part of a wide crackdown on all dissent in Bahrain. He has been hospitalised several times during his incarceration over heart problems and ulcers.

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.