🔺 What to do when markets are at an all-time high? Find smart bargains, like these.See Undervalued Shares

Bahrain activist detained for seven days - lawyer

Published 15/10/2014, 15:17
© Reuters Bahraini activist al-Khawaja is greeted by Sumaiya, wife of jailed activist Nabeel Rajab, after her release from prison in Budaiya, west of Manama

MANAMA (Reuters) - Bahraini authorities have ordered pro-democracy activist Zainab al-Khawaja to be detained for questioning for seven days after a judge accused her of insulting King Hamad by tearing up his picture, her lawyer said on Wednesday.

Zainab, daughter of jailed activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja who is on hunger strike, fell foul of the judge on Tuesday during an appeal hearing into two cases involving her that date back to 2012, her lawyer Mohammed al-Wasti said.

"The judge yesterday accused Zainab of insulting the king by tearing up his picture during the trial," Wasti told Reuters.

Zainab, who is pregnant and lives in Bahrain, was an activist during 2011 pro-democracy protests, where she became known for publishing news of the uprising on social media.

Bahraini officials were not immediately available to comment on the report.

Earlier this year, the king approved a law imposing a jail sentence of up to seven years and a fine of up to 10,000 dinars ($26,500) for anyone who publicly insulted him.

Zainab's younger sister, Maryam, who is acting head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, was briefly detained last month upon returning from Europe. She has been freed on bail pending trial on charges of entering the country illegally, assaulting a policewoman at the airport and insulting King Hamad.

Bahrain, a base for the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since the 2011 Arab uprisings, when mass protests led by Shi'ite Muslims erupted in Manama.

Shi'ites complain of political and economic marginalisation, a charge the government denies. Talks between the government and opposition have failed to defuse tensions.

© Reuters. Bahraini activist al-Khawaja is greeted by Sumaiya, wife of jailed activist Nabeel Rajab, after her release from prison in Budaiya, west of Manama

($1 = 0.3770 Bahraini dinar)

(Reporting by Farishta Saeed; Writing by Yara Bayoumy; Editing by Crispian Balmer)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.