Crackdown against Civil Rights and Free Expression Results in the blockage of the Website of the Largest Political Society
Sept 18, 2010
In an attempt to halt the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press, coupled with practicing more media blackout and prevention of accurate information publicity, Bahrain Information authority has censored the website of Al-Wefaq Society, the largest political Society in the country. This comes just a few weeks before the Society was to launch its campaign to participate in the parliamentary elections and concurrently with the firm security and media crackdown set to arrest tens of political activists, clergymen, and human rights defenders coupled with an official and programmed campaign to distort their reputations and incite the public against them.
The website's surfers were surprised early in the morning on Friday, the 3rd of September 2010 to find a message indicating the website's blockage, a message Internet users in Bahrain are familiar with and see every now and then while exploring discussion and blog sites, religious forums, or even social and networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, where opinions slating the regime are posted. Eventually, the Information Affairs Authority[1] had justified its resolution to block the website stating that "The website does not comply with applicable rules and regulations pertaining to such activity and based on violating incidents recorded" without making any reference to such violations. The Authority has also relied on Decree Law no. 47 of 2002 pertaining to press regulation, print, and publications, and the Political Societies Law no. 26 of 2005, which are regarded jointly by international standards as laws restricting freedoms. There is a great deal of demand placed by many international human rights organizations like Freedom House[2] and the Committee to Protect Journalists[3] to either adjust or abandon such regulations.
In a move to clampdown on the freedom to publish, being independent or dissenting, the Information Affairs Authority informed Al-Wefaq[4] along with other political societies about its alleged claims of violations in their printed newsletters, which are being electronically uploaded on the societies' websites, . The Authority stated that "The authorization granted to the Society was to issue a newsletter. However, what the Society issues is not classified as such" without giving any justification of incidents of violation. Sources reported that the reason is due to an announcement made by Al-Wefaq Society about its intention to launch a visual and audio service on the website, which is one of the media means the Authority is striving to put its hand on as It had earlier banned Al-Wasat Newspaper[5] from broadcasting any audio or video reports on its website.
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights believes that such censorship is a response by the government for what Al-Wefaq Newsletter publicizes weekly about the violations conducted by the regime against human rights, its condemnation on the regime of publishing the photos of the accused individuals in the media before being brought to a court of law, publishing the ongoing kidnappings carried out by mercenaries of a militia-like group that report to the National Security, and the statement made by the Society's Undersecretary who condemned the approach of the security forces in handling events that took place recently coupled with ongoing violations in Bahrain[6]. The Centre believes that such censorship aims to prevent the public from viewing thoughts and opinions different than or against the regime. The Information Authority imposes a ban on the publication or the exchange of information related to the detained activists, and the Authority also dictates that all civil society organizations have to be on the regime's side; otherwise they will be questioned and harassed[7]. The timing of this censorship has been set in the period prior to the election campaign to be conducted by the Society to participate in the parliamentary elections, to place hindrance on the Block not to benefit from its website to promote itself for such a campaign and thus minimizing its ability of reaching its constituents.
The website censorship is the second of its type faced by a political Society of this size, after the Information Affairs Authority (formerly known as the Ministry of Information and Culture) blocked on January 18, 2009 the website of Waad Political Society without prior notice. The Ministry of Information and Culture (before being restructured to become an authority) enforced a censorship campaign to close down many websites; a campaign that started at the wake of the year 2009 when the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority issued its directives to Internet providers in Bahrain to censor 1040 websites followed by further censorship. The censorship campaign has not stopped and is concurrent with the crackdown against political activists and human rights defenders with more and more websites on which the demos coverage and opposing statement are propagated[8].
This organized censorship campaign on websites and electronic forums is in conflict with the position of Bahrain as a member of the Human Rights Council and being that it alleges to respect and promote freedom of opinion and expression. Furthermore, the censorship campaign is not compliant with Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which Bahrain ratified and stipulates that "Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.”
Therefore, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights is appealing to the Government of Bahrain as represented by the Information Affairs Authority to:
• Remove the blockage affecting the websites as per the last crackdown and prior to it. • Abolish all measures oppressing and restricting freedom of opinion, freedom of expression, and information exchange. • Show complete compliance with international obligations and to respect the forms of freedom of expression and freedom to publish as stipulated in international conventions and charters. • Amend the Press Law no. 47 from 2002 so that is in line with international standards of human rights.
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[1]alwasatnews.com/2920 [2]freedomhouse.org [3]cpj.org [4]alwasatnews.com/2918 [5]BCHR Statement [6]al-akhbar.com [7]alwasatnews.com/2916
World Movement for Democracy: Prominent Blogger and Activist Arrested in Bahrain
September 8, 2010
According to Reporters Without Borders, during the recent, systematic attacks on opposition activists in Bahrain, prominent blogger and activist Ali Abdulemam was arrested on the night of September 4th. Abdulemam received a summons to report to the national security department and was arrested on alleged charges of disseminating false information. Abdulemam created the democracy forum, BahrainOnline.org, which receives 100,000 visitors daily and is one of the first in Bahrain to use the Internet as a platform for activism. The website is blocked within Bahrain in violation of basic freedoms of expression.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Abdulemam has also been charged with suspicion of belonging to an alleged terrorist network. According to the Times report, the Gulf Daily News, a government-run news outlet, reported that the recent arrests were due to the government cracking down on a “sophisticated terrorist network operating with international support.” It is estimated that over 250 Shiites, most of whom are youth, have been arrested under this claim in an attempt to protect the Sunni control of Parliament in the upcoming election on October 23, according to the Times report.
Please send letters and call the Bahraini authorities to demand that they release Ali Abdulemam and all activists currently held on arbitrary charges, and that the government stop using fear tactics to intimidate dissidents, but allow freedom of expression and a democratic election to take place this October.
Contact:
Cheikh Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, Fax: +973 176 64 587 Cheikh Khaled Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tel: +9 73 172 27 555; Fax: +9 73 172 12 6032 Cheikh Khaled Bin Ali Al Khalifa, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Tel: +9 73 175 31 333; Fax: +9 73 175 31 284 Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the UN in Geneva: 1 Chemin Jacques-Attenville 1218 Grand-Saconnex, CP 39 1292 Chambesy, Switzerland Fax: +41 22 758 96 50 Email: info@bahrain-mission.ch
Please send letters to the Gulf Daily News demanding that they end the smear campaign against the opposition and report accurate news on the recent crackdown on activists.
Contact: Gulf Daily News PO Box 5300 Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain Tel: +9 73 17 620 222 Fax: + 9 73 17 622 141 Email: gdn1@batelco.com.bh
For more information, go to: http://en.rsf.org/spip.php?page=impression&id_article=38298 http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2010/09/05/bahrain-bahraini-blogger-arrested/ www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bahrain-crackdown-20100907,0,41503,print.story
To read recent alerts on Bahrain, go to: www.wmd.org/alerts/arrest-abdeljalil-al-singace-and-opposition-leaders-bahrain
Info Alert: Bahrain Cracks Down on Peaceful Shias, Engages in Human Rights Violations
(WASHINGTON DC -- September 16, 2010) The Islamic Information Center joins the statement by the Arab Program for Human Rights, and reiterates its support for the innocent and peaceful people of Bahrain, who are victims of violent and radical oppression by the Bahraini government. IIC and the Arab Program for Human Rights Activists follows with deep concern and disturbance the Bahraini authorities' torture of a number of activists, politicians, lawyers and some religious figures, on the backdrop of expressing their views in demanding political reform and defending human rights.
The human rights activists, Abdul Galil Sincece, Sheikh Mohammed Habib Mekdad, Shaikh Saeed Noori, Abdul Ghani Al Haggar as well as Dr. Mohamed Saeed, a member of Bahrain Center, were subjected to very cruel and degrading physical and mental torture in violation with the provision of Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights concerning the right of integrated body. In addition to their placement in solitary confinement and their exposure to all forms of physical torture, starting with beating, kicking, hanging by hands and feet, to the deprivation of sleep, food and drink, and leaving on their bodies clear signs of torture which were neglected by the prosecution during the investigation. The security authorities tried to evade the crime of torture, claiming that the activists had tried to flee and the security aborted the attempt.
Meanwhile, the Bahrain News Agency published on its website the name and picture of the activist Nabeel Ragab, Chairman of Bahrain Center for Human Rights, as a so called supporter of terrorism; shortly after, the Agency dropped the news from the site, thereby confirming the existence of an official policy to distort the image and reputation of activists, and an insistence on prosecuting and intimidating them to prevent them from practicing their peaceful activities, in violation of the terms and provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Defenders.
Moreover, the authorities imposed the state of emergency, which led to the arrest of over 200 people whose whereabouts are still unknown and who are deprived of contacting their relatives or lawyers -- a violation of the provisions of Article 14 of the same Covenant on the rights of the detainees, who may immediately inform their relatives and defenders.
IIC and the Program believe that the acts of the Bahraini authorities are flagrant violations of all international conventions and international legal norms, and that they aim at muzzling and intimidating activists to prevent any advocacy of democratic reform or defense of human rights in Bahrain.
The Islamic Information Center emphasizes that the events in Bahrain, followed closely by coordinators and correspondents of APHRA, are a major rebound from the Kingdom's official political discourse, which is completely different from reality. Furthe, the Program stresses our full solidarity with our fellow activists in Bahrain; we regard what happened as a great crime that should not remain covered up or bypassed; we shall work by all peaceful means to back up the activists and to see that they are released them unconditionally.
The Program calls upon the Kingdom of Bahrain to:
1. Release all detainees and human rights defenders and to guarantee the practice of their fundamental rights and freedoms. 2. Immediately halt all security prosecution and stop the siege on the Shiite villages. 3. Immediately open an urgent investigation on the circumstances of these crimes and to hold accountability those responsible, regardless of their positions and responsibilities. 4. Submit the criminals to trial and hold them accountable for what they have done.
IIC has prepared a letter for you to automatically send to the embassy. Simply click the email address below and then click send - its that easy! ambsecretary@bahrainembassy.org The Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain 3502 International Drive N.W. Washington, DC 20008 Phone: (202) 342-1111 Fax: (202) 362-2192
Further, the Islamic Information Center calls upon community members to contact their congressional AND senate representative to discuss this issue and express serious concern. It is only through your action that the suffering of the Bahraini people can be alleviated.
Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders in Egypt and Bahrain Denounced at the UN
14/09/2010 United Nations Human Rights Council: Session 15 Item 2: High Commissioner’s Update- Oral Intervention Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) 13 September, 2010 Delivered by: Laila Matar Recorded Video of the Speech
Thank you Mr. President,
CIHRS would like to express its sincere gratitude to the High Commissioner and her office for their dedicated and high-quality work on behalf of human rights.
As pointed out by the High Commissioner, attacks on human rights defenders is increasing in severity throughout the Arab region, including in Bahrain, Egypt and Sudan. In countries like Tunisia, Syria and Libya Human Rights Defenders have almost all been imprisoned, forcefully disappeared, expelled or killed.
A full-blown human rights crisis has developed over the past two months in Bahrain. On September 4, 2010 Bahrain Television (a government-led TV channel) aired a 31-minute broadcast during which the names of 22 Bahraini individuals, who had been added to a list of suspected terrorists and accused of being involved in an underground terrorist organization, were displayed. This list included the most prominent Bahraini human rights defenders, bloggers and activists. Many of these human rights defenders are now in prison and face charges of terrorism.
This aggressive crack down on human rights defenders began on August 3, 2010 with the arrest of Dr. Abdul-Jalil Al-Singace. He was arrested upon his return from London, after participating in a seminar in the British House of Lords about the deteriorating human rights situation in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In the proceeding days Abdul-Ghani Al-Khanjjar, Dr. Mohammed Saeed Al-Sahlawi, and Jaffar Al-Hisabi were also arrested. All are prominent human rights defenders.
The