Australian Senate offers support for jailed Bahraini activist

The Senate has unanimously passed an Australian Greens resolution calling on the Government to make direct representations on behalf of jailed Bahraini human rights activist Mr Nabeel Rajab.

Greens Senator for Western Australia Scott Ludlam thanked Senators for their concern for Mr Rajab.

"Mr Rajab is a prominent pro-democracy and human rights campaigner. He was arrested by Bahraini authorities on May 5 shortly after being interviewed by Australian journalist Julian Assange. We must now turn concern into action."

"I have written to Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr, noting the unanimous support for this Senate resolution and urging immediate diplomatic contact with the Government of Bahrain," said Senator Ludlam.

The Australian Senate has added its voice to those of Amnesty International, the International Federation for Human Rights, the Bahrain Justice and Development Movement, Freedom House and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

The Senate

Notes:

On May 5th 2012, the President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, was arrested upon arrival at Manama airport from Lebanon.

He has been charged with 'cyber incitement' essentially for promoting the culture of human rights through the online media, especially Facebook and Twitter.

Calls on the government to

Make direct representations to Bahraini authorities for the immediate release of Nabeel Rajab, and for democratic reforms in Bahrain.