By Eunice del Rosario
Published: 31st August 2006

A BAHRAINI arrested for allegedly raping his brother's Filipina maid will not stand trial after the woman agreed to a BD500 out-of-court settlement. Gemma Gorres, who was reportedly handed the money on Monday in the presence of Philippine Embassy officials, left for the Philippines on a flight to Manila at 10pm last night.

Sources told the GDN that the alleged rapist and his family had pleaded with embassy officials to reduce the maid's asking price of BD2,000, stating that they could not afford that amount.

"In the end (the maid) just wanted to return home to her child in Davao, Southern Philippines, so she accepted the BD500, which is equivalent to about eight months' salary," sources told the GDN.

Wednesday August 30, 6:24 AM

1,000 INDIAN WORKERS IN BAHRAIN STILL UNPAID AFTER A YEAR
DUBAI, Aug 29 Asia Pulse - As many as 1,000 Indian workers, who lost their jobs after a Bahrain-based garment factory closed down last year, are yet to be paid their dues.

Around 1,400 workers, including 250 Bahraini women, were left in the lurch after the financial collapse of the Light Style Garment Factory in Salmabad on May 14 last year.

Indian workers claim they have not got wages of up to BD1,000 as promised to them by the firm.

According to the workers, only around 350 of them have received work permits for new jobs at different companies.

DUBAI: The Indian embassy in Bahrain has had to step in to secure the release of two Gudaibiya labour camp disaster survivors after their company tried to deport them to India.

The Gudaibiya labour camp was completely gutted in a major fire last month that killed 17 Indian workers.

The two Indian workers, Velmurugan Kumaraswamy and Ravi Muthuswamy, were taken from a temporary labour camp by a Royal Tower Construction Company representative and detained in a police station, and later to the General Directorate of Nationality, Passports and Residence (GDNPR), according to the Gulf Daily News .

noticias.info/ How can countries trying to move to democracy after authoritarian rule or civil war deal with the legacy of past human rights abuses? This was the question facing the Human Rights Subcommittee on Monday when it held a hearing to discuss the concept of transitional justice. MEPs heard from a range of witnesses with direct experience of the approaches tried in different countries.

Alex Boraine, former deputy chair of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission and founder of the International Centre of Transitional Justice (ICTJ), said transitional justice “is a way to search not just for justice but for a just society.” There were five pillars to the approach as he saw it: accountability, with a reassertion of the rule of law and an equal administration of justice; truth recovery, revealing the facts but also the personal narratives of those affected and tearing away the propaganda of the past; reconciliation, which entailed a real commitment and sacrifice if it was to be more than just an excuse for passivity; institutional reform, so that systems were transformed rather than just seeing a change in the figures at the top; reparations, to make a tangible effort for the victims.

Statement
It is time to freeze Israel's membership in the UN

The undersigned Arab human rights organizations and centers salute the UN human rights council for its impartial analysis of the war crisis in Lebanon and its release of a statement condemning the Israeli crimes of war.

By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 28th August 2006

A COMATOSE man at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) has been named by friends and his Bahraini landlord as Indian carpenter Surjit Singh Bedi, it was revealed yesterday. It follows an appeal through the GDN for anyone who knew him to come forward and identify him.

Mr Bedi, believed to be aged in his 50s, has been lying in Ward 66 for nearly a month under a nametag that previously read "unknown".

The hospital's social services committee, in co-ordination with the Ecumenical Conference of Charity (ECC) volunteer M E G Coorey, launched the appeal to find out exactly who he was last week.

Human Rights Course

Aug.24 - Yemeni Youth Development Center started the first youth regional course on human rights. The course is organized in cooperation with Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights and it intends to develop the concepts and skills of human rights among youth organizations and to teach them the nature of their work over one week. The long-term goal is to create a youth network among the Gulf countries

Daughters seek cash
By EUNICE del ROSARIO
Published: 28th August 2006

CHILDREN of a Filipina who vanished in Bahrain almost two years ago are to follow up their mother's case with the Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in Manila, from today.

Maria Grace and Gracela Montibon, the two grown up daughters of Gracie Montibon - a debt-collector who mysteriously disappeared in Bahrain in November 2004 - are hoping the DFA's Office of the Under-Secretary for Migrant Workers' Affairs (OUMWA) will be able to help them access their mother's four bank accounts in the Philippines.

By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 27 August 2006

A STRANDED Indian worker has finally had his passport returned by his sponsor, but only after a fourth member of his family committed suicide, it was claimed yesterday.

The GDN reported on August 15 that the financial problems of Ayyadurai Pavadai, aged 38, resulted in the suicides of his father, brother and sister-in-law in India.

However, on Friday his father's brother also committed suicide back home, according to community volunteers.

Mr Pavadai, aged 38, has been working in Bahrain for the three years, but has allegedly been told by his Bahraini sponsor that he would not get his passport back unless he pays BD300.

1,000 workers still unpaid
By begena george
Published: 27 August 2006

THE case for unpaid wages and settlement dues of more than 1,000 Indian workers of a clothing factory that closed down over a year ago is yet to be resolved.

Around 1,400 workers, including 250 Bahraini women, lost their jobs with the financial collapse of the Light Style Garment Factory, in Salmabad, on May 14 last year.

Indian workers say they are still waiting for their dues of around BD1,000 each from the company as promised 15 months ago.

They were also promised work permits for new jobs at different firms and 500 permits were said to had been issued a month after the closure.

By GEOFFREY BEW
Published: 27 August 2006

THERE are hopes that three Bahraini detainees at Guantanamo Bay could be among more than 120 prisoners set to be released by the US government.

The US Department of Defence has already announced that one captive has been transferred to Germany as a result of the Administrative Review Board (ARB) process.

In a statement, it says the other 120 detainees are eligible for transfer or release through a comprehensive series of review processes, which include discussions between the US and other nations.

"The US does not desire to hold detainees for any longer than necessary," it said.

Published: 26 August 2006

PROSTITUTES aged anywhere between 17 and 50 can be found operating in Adliya, according to a Thai florist who works in the area.

He estimated there could be 10 to 20 prostitutes working in the area, which also houses the main headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID).

The man, who asked to remain anonymous, added that they come straight from Thailand to work in the sex trade - attracting business "anywhere crowded", from discos to coffee shops.

"Some say they have sponsors and others don't," he said.

"Many of them don't speak English.

By MAY ASHOUR
Published: 26 August 2006

REPORTS that parts of Adliya have been turned into a red light district by Thai sex workers are only a small part of a much larger human trafficking problem facing Bahrain, a Thai Embassy spokesman told the GDN.

He said the issue was not simply limited to Adliya, but entailed systematic abuse of relaxed visa regulations that allow poor women from rural Thailand to be lured to Bahrain with the promise of legitimate jobs - then have their passports and belongings taken away before being forced into prostitution.

Visa restrictions between Thailand and Bahrain were eased in 2003 and Thai nationals are able to visit Bahrain without a visa for up to two weeks, while Bahrainis can visit Thailand for up to 30 days as part of efforts to boost relations.

http://www.bahraintribune.com/PrintPage.asp
Workers follow up their cases at embassy event
Bonny Mascarenhas
Contributor

For the Indian community the open day organised by the embassy has been a platform to air their grievances. Yesterday was no different. The consular hall was filled to capacity with workers coming to check the status of their last complaints and others to file cases and yet others just to help.
“At the beginning there used to be very few people approaching the embassy with cases of wrongdoing against them by their employers. Now the number has increased and this is due to people believing that the embassy will help them.” said M. Mansoor, a member of Indian Community Services.

Published: 26 August 2006

A LACK of treatment and supervision of prisoners with personality disorders and mental illness is putting Bahrain's community at risk, according to a senior health worker.

Dr Fadhel Al Nasheet, a forensic psychiatrist at Psychiatric Hospital, Manama, says murderers in particular often do not get the opportunity to be psychologically examined to get to the bottom of their behaviour.

He pointed to the fact it is not mandatory for psychiatrists to treat patients who have been convicted of murder in Bahrain, unlike other countries in Europe such as the UK where the practice is compulsory.

Abuse claims
By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 26 August 2006

More than 30 job-related and "abuse" cases were yesterday presented to Indian Ambassador Balkrishna Shetty during an Open House session at the embassy in Adliya yesterday.

Most involved employees refusing to allow workers to leave the country and did not give them access to passports and other legal documents. Some also included alleged abuse and claims of fraud.

Among the cases was that of an Indian housemaid who claimed physical abuse by a East Riffa family for whom she has been working for the last two months on a "20-hour shift".

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153637&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29158

By Mandeep Singh and Begena George
Published: 25 August 2006

MANAMA: Two Indians committed suicide by hanging themselves yesterday in separate incidents.

A 35-year-old worker, Mandikal G, was found hanging by a nylon rope from a makeshift metal staircase in Manama around 6.30am, sources told the GDN.

His colleagues got worried when he failed to reach the pick-up point for their company transport.

"A search was carried out and he was found hanging from the makeshift staircase leading to the building's roof," a source said.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153541&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29157
By KANWAL TARIQ HAMEED
Published: 24 August 2006

A BAHRAINI political group is appealing to the United Nations (UN) to support calls to release 19 men arrested following clashes between protesters and police in March.

The suspects have been held in custody for five months, but are still waiting for a court verdict.

It follows claims by the men's relatives that they have been subjected to physical and verbal abuse in custody after participating in a hunger strike to protest their continued detention last week.

http://indiaenews.com/2006-08/19562-2-indians-commit-suicide-bahrain.htm

Dubai - A pizza delivery driver and a domestic maidservant, both Indians, have committed suicide in separate incidents in Bahrain.
2006-08-23 12:00:02
Dubai - A pizza delivery driver and a domestic maidservant, both Indians, have committed suicide in separate incidents in Bahrain.

Sashi Kantha, 34, working for a pizzeria in the Juffair locality of the Bahraini capital Manama, committed suicide by hanging himself, according to a report in the Gulf Daily News.

Kantha, hailing from Mangalore in the Indian state of Karnataka, was reportedly suffering from brain tumour and had been married for eight months.

Castles built on sand
Jane Kinninmont
23 - 8 - 2006

As Bahrain steps up its economic ambitions, unresolved sectarian tensions in the US-allied, Sunni-led Gulf state threaten to upset a shaky political balance, reports Jane Kinninmont.

After 9/11, western architects said the skyscraper would go out of fashion. But today, in the booming states of the Persian Gulf, twin towers and World Trade Centres are all the rage. The tiny, oil-rich Gulf monarchy of Bahrain has been a trading hub for five millennia, but there are few visible signs of history. Instead, the skyline is dominated by the skeletons of skyscrapers-to-be. The twin-towered World Trade Centre building, designed to be the country's tallest building, has already been dwarfed by the curving, sail-shaped "Dual Towers" of the fifty-three-storey Bahrain Financial Harbour.

http://www.apfw.org/indexenglish.asp?fname=news%5Cenglish%5C2006%5C08%5C13152.htm
Bahrain: Internet Websites Blocked, APFW Calls for end of Restriction
Arab Press Freedom Watch (APFW) is calling upon the Bahraini authorities to set free Internet Website that have been recently restricted. Restriction of Internet Websites by Bahraini service providers is a violation of access to information and communication. This is a clear violation of Human rights that should be removed.

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights is concerned upon receiving reports that the Bahraini government has issued orders to all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to block the "Google Earth" service. A report published in the Al Wasat newspaper yesterday stated that the Bahrain Internet Exchange (BIX) will block the service, and that the Bahrain Telecommunication Company (Batelco), the countries predominant ISP, is considering taking the same step.

HAQ: Movement of Liberties and Democracy- Bahrain

22nd August 2006

URGENT APPEAL FOR INTERVENTION

PRONLONGED PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE WITHOUT TRIAL UNDER SYSTEMATIC TORTURE

In protest to the prolong detaining without trial for six months, the prisoners of conscience in Bahrain held a hunger strike. The call for the hunger strike came after the last week postponement of the trial yet for another month. The prisoners reacted angrily to this decision, and started chanting slogans against it. The guard police force surrounding the court compound, armed with batons and weapons, rushed to the court and snatched them to the torture chambers at the Dry Dock, Al Hura and Umm Al Hasam prisons.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153419&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29156
'Abused' maid still waiting for justice
By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 23 August 2006

THE fate of an Indian housemaid who filed a case against her Bahraini sponsor for alleged assault, breach of contract and unpaid salary, is still uncertain.

Sajitha Beevi, 30, who has been under the custody of the Indian Embassy since July 25, is waiting for a summons from the Public Prosecution for legal proceedings to begin.

She is demanding back BD15 that was allegedly cut from her BD50 monthly salary every month since she arrived here last October.

Family Members Protest against Brutal Beating of the “Dana Mall Detainees”

Bahrain Center for Human Rights

REF: 06082201

BCHR vice-president Nabeel Rajab, hospitalized after being attacked by government security forces at a peaceful demonstration in July 2005 (see Human Rights Watch statement, July 22, 2005 and BCHR Ref: 05090601).

Verma was rescued by the BCHR’s Migrant Workers’ Group (MWG) in October 2003 with severe facial bruising, head wounds and burns on her body. She filed a police complaint against her employer and in later interviews with Tribune, said she was under pressure to withdraw the case but would not do so. Varma’s case was a classic example of the slow and uncertain justice process that abused domestic women workers face in Bahrain.

• BCHR stresses “fast-track” justice for abused women, 3 July 2004

Verma was rescued by the BCHR’s Migrant Workers’ Group (MWG) in October 2003 with severe facial bruising, head wounds and burns on her body. She filed a police complaint against her employer and in later interviews with Tribune, said she was under pressure to withdraw the case but would not do so. Varma’s case was a classic example of the slow and uncertain justice process that abused domestic women workers face in Bahrain.

• BCHR stresses “fast-track” justice for abused women, 3 July 2004

Students at a US college protest for the release of the prisoners in Bahrain

Family shock over Aids rumour
By KANWAL TARIQ HAMEED
Published: 21st August 2006

THE FAMILY of Bahraini detainee at Guantanamo Bay Juma Al Dossary said yesterday they were shocked and distressed at false rumours that he has contracted Aids from a contaminated blood transfusion at the prison hospital.

The rumours have already spread among society, and the family are receiving frequent phone calls and personal comments of sympathy, they said.

The speculation amongst the public that Juma is infected with the fatal virus could damage his chances of settling into a normal life and being accepted by society after his release, the Al Dossary family say.

DEMOCRACY WILL BRING PEACE TO MIDEAST SAY ACTIVISTS
Published: 21st August 2006

DEMOCRACY and human rights must be promoted in Middle Eastern countries if a lasting peace in the region is to be reached, an international coalition of human rights defenders and human rights activists.

Terrorism needs to be countered through education and by dealing with its root causes, says the Front Line International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders in a joint statement issued by human rights workers from Bahrain, Yemen, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Israel.

"Israel's long-standing and ongoing violations of international law - with unwavering support from the US - undermine respect for the rule of law, human rights and democracy," says the statement, which is co-sponsored by the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) and the Bahrain Forum.

Juma Aids claim is denied
By kanwal tariq hameed
Published: 20 August 2006

REPORTS claiming that a Bahraini detainee at Guantanamo Bay Juma Al Dossary had contracted Aids because of a "contaminated blood transfusion" at prison were rejected by his lawyer yesterday.

In a statement made in a Saudi newspaper, Katib Al Shimmari, a lawyer of a number of Saudi detainees, said that Mr Al Dossary had contracted Aids "mistakenly, or for other reasons" because of a blood transfusion at the camp.

Mr Al Dossary's lawyer, who returned from a visit to the three Bahrainis being held at the US military prison facility in Cuba on Friday, dismissed the claims.

http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153017&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29153
Family suicides worker stranded
By BEGENA GEORGE
Published: 20 August 2006

A FREE-VISA Indian worker, whose financial problems allegedly resulted in the suicides of three of his relatives, is now stranded in Bahrain.

Ayyadurai Pavadai, aged 38, has been working in Bahrain for the last three years, but has allegedly been told by his Bahraini sponsor that he will not get his passport back unless he pays BD300.

He says he spent around BD1,350 on a visa and travel costs to come to Bahrain, which meant his father had to sell their only family property for Rs65,000 (BD600) to pay off the mounting interest and part of the principal amount.

Maid kicked and beaten
By mandeep singh
Published: 20 August 2006

AN Indonesian housemaid is recovering at the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) after she was allegedly slapped, kicked, and stamped on by her Bahraini sponsor and his Filipino wife until she fell unconscious.

Yati Jari, aged 24, was reportedly attacked by the couple.

"The couple panicked (when she fell unconscious) and brought her to the SMC," said Indonesian Consul labour officer Agus Mahiudim.

A doctor at the SMC treating Ms Jari, who did not want to be named, said she was being kept in seclusion at the hospital while the Public Prosecution investigates her case.

Gulf Daily News - 20 August 2006
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=153029&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29153

By kanwal tariq hameed

HUMAN rights activists are calling for the release of 19 people who are on trial and have been held in custody for five months on charges related to large-scale clashes between riot police and protestors.

The accused staged a protest in prison against their continued detention after their most recent court appearance last Tuesday, but were allegedly forcibly taken to separate detention centres, according to the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR).

18 August 2006

Front Line: the International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, together with our partners in the Middle East, issue this joint statement regarding the current crisis in the region:

We, the undersigned, defenders of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, supporters of the rule of law, promoters of democracy and freedom, from all religions and beliefs, across the Middle East;

· Insist that the ceasefire is lasting and effective and that all perpetrators of atrocities are brought to justice;

· Call for all sides to respect international humanitarian law (including the Geneva Conventions) and international human rights law to ensure the protection of civilians and humanitarian access;

Gulf Daily News - 18 August 2006
By EUNICE del ROSARIO

INTERNET users in Bahrain are being urged to report directly to Google if they encounter any problems accessing its free web-based services.

A spokesman for Internet giant Google told the GDN from the US yesterday that the company was now looking into reports coming from Bahrain to determine the cause of earlier unexplained disappearances of Google Earth, Maps and Videos.

"We have heard conflicting reports about Google Earth access problems for our users in Bahrain and we are looking into these reports to determine the cause and welcome any input from our users there," he said.

http://www.bahraintribune.com/PrintPage.asp
Employer regularly beat up maid, did not pay salary totalling BD360

A 24-year-old Ethiopian maid claimed she was regularly beaten by her employers.
Genet Netash (showing her burnt arm in the picture) was in a traumatised condition when she approached the Migrant Workers Protection Society last month. She claimed she was pushed by her sponsor while she was ironing clothes and burnt her arm on the hot iron when she fell. She also said that her employer had not paid her salary which amounted to BD360.
A case was filed with the Ministry of Labour against the sponsor. “The employer denied the charges but later admitted to the charge of abuse and that some money was due to her from him,” said Delrene Embuldeniya, a spokeswoman for MWPS. Meera Ravi

Gulf Daily News - 17 August 2006
By Kanwal Tariq Hameed

A BAHRAIN human rights group is calling for an independent and "credible" body to be formed to supervise parliamentary and municipal elections later this year.

Several issues, including the lack of a "neutral" supervisory body and "geographically distorted" electoral districts could lead to distrust among the population, says the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR).

The BCHR is also calling for a redistribution of electoral districts, reformation of the 2002 Constitution to allow parliament "full jurisdiction in legislation and supervision" and for local and international bodies to be permitted to monitor elections.

Dana Mall Incidents Case: “Unauthorized Gathering”

19 citizens – among them four minors and three activists – are held in custody since five months while the Unfair trial sessions are at the beginning

Urgent: The Police use force to deal with the detainees protesting prolonged detention

August 17th 2006
Ref: 06081701

http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp
‘Give me my salary first’
Riffa employers to send Indian maid home and pay 22 months’ dues at airport, but she does not trust them
Meera Ravi
Staff Correspondent

One more case of exploitation of housemaid has come to light.
A young Indian housemaid Sangita S.G. has sought the help of the Migrant Workers Protection Society (MWPS) to break the impasse with her employers over the non-payment of her salary.
According to the case notes, Sangita has been working with a Bahraini family in Riffa for four years and claims that she is owed 22 months’ salary. She was sporadically paid her salary of BD40 for over 16 hours of work daily and given food around mid-day only.

GDN - 16 August 2006

By Kanwal Tariq Hameed

A CALL has gone out to repeal or re-examine Bahrain's anti-terror bill, which was ratified by His Majesty King Hamad last Thursday. Human rights activists say the law, which was approved by both parliament and the Shura Council, is not consistent with the United Nations (UN) Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Bahrain has also ratified.

The "overly broad" definition of terrorism in the law is seen as inconsistent with the principle of legality described in Article 15 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as other human rights agreements, say former members of the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR).

Gulf Daily News - 16 August 2006
By TARIQ KHONJI

THREE free web-based services were back online again yesterday. But the mystery surrounding earlier disappearances of Google Earth, Google Maps and Google Videos went unexplained yet again.

The online services were not accessible on Monday, with online satellite imaging service Google Earth having been offline for several days.

Several officials at the Information Ministry have been contacted regarding the issue, but none have agreed to speak on the record.

A Batelco spokesman again maintained that the company was not responsible for such decisions yesterday.

While we recognize the importance of listing the names of our officers and board of directors in order to establish the BCHR's credibility, we are currently unable to do so as it may threaten their personal wellbeing.

On September 24, 2004, BCHR president Abdulhadi Alkhawaja gave a lecture at a public symposium about poverty in Bahrain, in which he criticized the Prime Minister of Bahrain. In the following days Abdulhadi was arrested by the police, and the BCHR ordered to close down by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. (For further details, click here).

Despite the official ban, the BCHR has continued its human rights activities. The government has issued numerous threats warning that further legal action will be taken against the members should they continue their activities. According to the 'Societies Law' (widely criticized by human rights organizations), members of civil societies unrecognized by the Ministry of Social Affairs can be sentenced for up to 6 months in prison and/or fined up to BD500. (See BCHR Communique, 26 March 2006).

Gulf Daily News - 15 August 2006
By TARIQ KHONJI

FREE web-based satellite imaging service Google Earth was down again yesterday, but Bahraini government officials remained tight-lipped on whether or not they were responsible for blocking it.

Information Ministry Assistant Under-Secretary for Press and Publications Dr Abdulla Yateem refused to comment, referring the GDN instead to Bahrain News Agency head Abdulla Salman.

However, Mr Salman said he didn't have any information on the subject and referred us back to Mr Yateem.

Press and Publications director Jamal Dawood said that since his superior Mr Yateem couldn't say anything, he couldn't comment either.

Search Newz - Lexington,KY,USA :
By: Doug Caverly
2006-08-15

Google seems to be encountering some difficulties overseas. In Brazil, the government is attempting to force the company to disclose information on certain Orkut users. Authorities may fine Google, or could even close down its Brazilian bureau. And in Bahrain, the government may or may not be blocking Google Earth.

According to Brazzil Magazine, "Brazil is charging the American Internet company with causing moral damages to the country, presenting illicit contents in its invitation-only relationship site and then protecting criminals, refusing to name those responsible for posting illegal material." The government is expected to file civil and criminal lawsuits against Google shortly.

Concerns of possibility of torture and threats to freedom of speech and association

Bahrain Center for Human Rights
14 August 2006

Ref: 14080601

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) welcomes the recent decision by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to approve ratifying Bahrain's accession to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The BCHR hopes that the government will now take the necessary action to guarantee the civil and political rights for the Bahraini people, in both law and practice, as laid out in the Covenant.

There are currently 22 internet sites blocked in Bahrain (including this website) by Batelco (the only residential Internet Service Provider in the country; owned by the Bahraini government).

The blocked websites are:

1. Google Earth
2. Google Video
3. Google Maps
4. Mahmood's Den -- For details see here

BCHR calls on media and civil society to continue highlighting state-sponsored Internet censorship

Ref: 12080600
12 August 2006

June 2002

The video can be viewed here.

Camera shots of a trip by car from Bab Al-Bahrain to Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, via the King Fahad Causeway. The Car stops at a place called Al-Dawaser District.

Place: Al-Dawaser District in Dammam – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Event: The Political Naturalization in Bahrain

Name: Ali…

I was born in Dammam, I have lived here for years and suddenly heard news saying that they are granting Bahraini …

Interview with:

Fahad …. Residing in Dammam, Al-Dawaser District

TO: UN Human Rights Council

DATE: 10 August 2006

Once again the State of Israel haS launcheD a mass war against The Republic of Lebanon and its people. The Israel Army has been targeting the civilians (Lebanese and Palestinians residents), the civil infrastructure and vital functions such as hospitals, electricity stations and water supplies. The Israeli army has imposed total blockade against Lebanon (aerial, marine ad terrestrial), severing vital supplies (medicines, food etc.) through the disablement of ports, airports, roads, bridges etc. It has been attacking any moving vehicle, including ambulances, fleeing refugees, and humanitarian supplies trucks.

Discrimination and Spread of Feelings of Injustice and Distrust Pave Way to Instability

Thirty Thousand Tribal Saudis and Arabs Take Part in Bahrain’s Elections
A New Law Permits the Deprivation of Activists and Dissidents from their Political Rights
Government Runs the Elections with No Neutral Supervision
Electoral Districts Based on Tribal And Sectarian Discrimination
The Elected Council Of Representatives Unable To Carry Out Its Duties Independently

11 August 2006

Press conference arranged by the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and the US-based Center for Constitutional Rights, regarding the Saudi detainees in Guantanamo Bay. Bahrain Bar Society premises, December 2005.

Musa Abdali at a demonstration organized by the Unemployment Committee. Musa was attacked by security forces at a demonstration calling for jobs, and later sexually abused by masked men. See BCHR Report Ref: 04020603

BCHR vice-president Nabeel Rajab at a meeting with Joe Stork from Human Rights Watch, Hani Magally from International Centre for Transitional Justice and Idriss El Yazimi general secretary of International Federation for Human Rights, with the first and second deputy chairmen of the Bahrian Council of Representatives. April 2006

Musa Abdali and Nabeel Rajab at a meeting with members of the Council of Representatives.

Once again The State of Israel launches a mass war against The Republic of Lebanon and its people. Israel Defence Army (IDA) has been targeting the civil people (Lebanese and Palestinians residents), the civil infrastructure and vital functions such as hospitals, electricity stations and water supplies. IDA has imposed total blockade against Lebanon (aerial, marine and terrestrial), and severing vital supplies (medicines, food etc.) through the disablement of ports, airports, roads, bridges etc. It has been attacking any moving vehicle including ambulances, fleeing refugees, and humanitarian supplies trucks.

By TARIQ KHONJI
Published: 9 August 2006
Gulf Daily news

BATELCO yesterday refused to confirm or deny whether it had blocked or was going to block the free Google Earth computer programme, which allows people to see satellite images of countries all over the world.

It follows a report in an Arabic newspaper that the company had blocked the site.

A company spokesman said it would only block a website after it had received specific instructions to do so from the Information Ministry, whether it relates to pornography or something else.

However, he would not specifically say that it had blocked this particular site.

Mr. Erik Schmidt

President of Executive Committee and Chief of Administrative Executives in Google Company

The ministry of Publications in the kingdom of Bahrain attempted to close several political websites which discuss Bahraini issues freely. In which over 10000 blogers subscribe to such forums and sites t