Bahrain Mirror: A celebration was held yesterday (June 18, 2018) in Paris on the occasion of granting the prominent Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab honorary citizenship of the city.

Nabeel Rajab said in an audio speech from the prison that "he has a generation of human rights defenders after him (...). Even I am held in a solitary confinement, I am not alone. I will continue to defend the issue until my last breath."

Human rights defender Sheikh Maytham Al-Salman said during participating in the celebration that Rajab "is being punished in every possible way to break his spirit. This reward will give him oxygen to continue his struggle for human rights in Bahrain."

He also expressed his hope that France would call on the King of Bahrain Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to release Rajab, who is serving 5- year jail term.

As for the human rights situation in the country, Al-Salman said that Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim "is considered one of the founding fathers of Bahrain's first Constitution. However, he is still under house arrest after having his nationality revoked like hundreds of Bahraini activists."

Sheikh Maytham noted that the opposition leader and Al-Wefaq Secretary-General, Sheikh Ali Salman, faces "a verdict that might reach to death penalty over charges related to positive interaction with a mediation encouraged by US in 2011."

He also regretted that as elections in Bahrain approach, the authorities have offered none of the minimum guarantees to ensure free and fair elections.

The International Federation for Human Rights stated that "despite Nabeel Rajab's alarming situation, he shows great courage and doesn't fall apart in front of the harassment he is being subjected to. Thus, he is a considered a symbol for human rights defenders and especially oppressed ones."

It also saw that "Paris decision is a real victory against Bahraini authorities (...) We encourage the French government and civil society to continue their struggle to protect freedom of expression and human rights."

Arabic Version