#FreeSharifNOW: Bahrainis demand freedom for jailed leader

The hashtag #FreeSharifNOW was released by Waad group last Sunday, and has been the most trending in Bahrain since with almost 5000 tweets in less than 24 hours. 

Sharif, who used to head the Waad secular group, had been freed on June 19 after spending four years in jail over his involvement in 2011 Shia-led anti-government protests. The interior ministry did not say why he was re-arrested.


Ibrahim Sharif, who is a Sunni Muslim, had played a prominent role in the month-long protests and was later among a group of 20 activists tried for 'plotting to overthrow' the regime of Shia-majority Bahrain.

Many media and activists have taken part in the campaign calling for Sharif’s release.

Bahraini journalist Reem Khalifa: Today is the campaign to free National opposition leader Ibrahim Sharif

Dr.Munira Fakhroo, a member of WAAD tweeted in support of the campaign: The arrest of Ibrahim Sharif is one of the ways used to silence his voice and confiscate his freedom of speech that has been granted to him by all international laws and regulations.

Prominent Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab also tweeted about the campaign calling for people to take part and write in support of Sharif’s release using the hashtag #FreeSharifNOW.

Many Bahrainis took part in the campaign mainly emphasising that the imprisonment of Ibrahim Sharif is a national matter not a sectarian one, and that both Sunnis and Shias are united in support of Sharif.

His daughter, Aseel ElSayed, took part in the campaign as well.