Bahraini activist’s appeal postponed

ReutersManamaBahrain has postponed until March 4 a hearing by Nabeel Rajab, a democracy campaigner, on his appeal against a conviction for publicly insulting two state institutions, according to his Twitter account. As founder of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, Rajab took a leading role in demonstrations led by Bahrain’s Shia Muslim community in 2011 calling for reforms in the kingdom.  He was freed in May 2014 after two years in jail on charges of organising and participating in illegal protests. Last month, however, a Manama court convicted and sentenced Rajab to six months in jail on the insult charge. “My next appeal hearing will be on March 4,” tweeted Rajab, who is free on bail. The hearing had been set for yesterday. He next added that the court had refused to lift a travel ban on him. Rajab’s lawyer Mohamed al-Jishi confirmed the postponement on his Twitter account.