Bahraini blogger Zakariya Rashid Hassan al-Ashiri died Saturday while in custody of the country’s security services.
According to Al Jazeera, the official statement said that al-Ashiri was “held since the second of this month on charges of inciting hatred against the regime and the promotion of sectarian” and his death was a result of “sickle cell anemia.”
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, the diagnosis was contested by his family. There are also photos alleged to be of al-Ashir, that indicate he was beaten to death. (These are terrible photos. Be warned.)
Another detainee, Ali Issa Sakr, was beaten to death at about the same time.
Al-Ashiri ran a website covering news in his village of al-Dair. He was arrested on April 2 and charged “disseminating false news and inciting hatred.”
Al-Ashiri follows Omid Reza Misayafi, the Iranian blogger, who died from neglect (at least) two years ago, as the second blogger to die in custody.
