Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa [6] on July 13 released [7] the president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights [8], Nabeel Rajab [9], citing health reasons. Despite the release, the US State Department [10] and Rajab himself [11] expressed concern over continued efforts to limit free speech in the country. The State Department said recent events, including the re-arrest [12] of opposition leader Ibrahim Sharif, detention and prosecution [13] of Bahraini opposition figure Majeed Milad, and reopening [14] of a case against Sheikh Ali Salman [15], the Secretary General of Al-Wefaq [16] political opposition group, all threaten the "universal right enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Bahrain is a party."
From Jurist [17], July 15. Used with permission.
Note: Nabeel Rajab was arrested last October [18] on charges of insulting Bahrain's authorities on his Twitter account.