Bahrain Mirror- AFP: The family of jailed Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab has been denied visiting rights after he underwent surgery, relatives said Thursday.

Rights activists confirmed to AFP that Rajab, who is behind bars while facing trial on charges of insulting the state, had had stomach surgery and was banned from seeing his family.

Rajab's son also said the family was unable to see the 52-year-old prominent activist and remained concerned about his health.

"My father Nabeel Rajab (has) undergone surgery today," Adam Nabeel Rajab tweeted late Wednesday.

He said the family was concerned about the state of Rajab's health after the interior ministry denied them visitation.

Bahrain's interior ministry did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.

Rajab, a leading rights activist, had been arrested multiple times in recent years over protests that the government said were unauthorized.

The Shiite activist was pardoned for health reasons in 2015 before being rearrested in June 2016.

He is currently on trial for tweets and statements made in interviews with the foreign press that authorities say insulted Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The Sunni-ruled kingdom has been the scene of frequent protests and clashes with police since security forces quelled Shiite-led nationwide protests that called for political reforms in 2011.

Hundreds of Bahrainis have been arrested and several high-profile figures, including Shiite clerics, stripped of citizenship.

The king last week ratified a constitutional amendment permanently granting military courts the right to try citizens accused of threatening national security.

Arabic Version