Bahrain Mirror: 27 NGOs urged the Bahraini authorities to lift the "arbitrary travel ban" imposed on the human rights defender and president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights Nabeel Rajab.

The organizations called for dropping all charges against Rajab, and guaranteeing that human rights defenders in Bahrain are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions including judicial harassment.

The NGOs further stressed that the public prosecutor imposed the travel ban on Nabeel Rajab without any judicial verdict on July 13, 2015, adding that the charges raised against him are linked to his right to freedom of expression and to the tweets he published about the practice of torture in Jaw Central Prison and that included criticism against the Saudi led war on Yemen.

They also stated that the defence team submitted requests to the attorney-general in December 2015, so he could accompany his wife, but the Bahraini authorities did not respond.

The NGOs highlighted his need to travel with his family for the purpose of securing medical assistance for his wife Sumaya Rajab, pointing out that the treatment she needs is not available in Bahrain according to the doctors who examined her.

Arabic Issue