Bahrain Press Association recorded a remarkable increase in the index of freedoms in media’s opinion and expression during June and July 2015
London- July 30, 2015- Bahrain Press Association: Bahrain Press Association recorded a remarkable increase in the index of freedoms in media’s opinion and expression during June and July 2015. During these two months, the authorities rearrested the former Secretary-General of the National Democratic Action Society “Wa’ad”, Ebrahim Sharif, over a speech in which he criticised the government. The authorities also sentenced Al-Wefaq’s Secretary-General, Ali Salman, to 4 years imprisonment over speeches in which he expressed his opinion in the need of reform.
The human rights defender, Ghada Jamsheer, was handed down a one year and 8 month-jail term over some tweets she posted on her twitter account. However, the court of appeals upheld a sentence fining the member of Al-Fateh Youth Coalition; Yacoub Al-Slaise, 200 BD over the charge of “insulting the army” on twitter.
Photographer Mohammad Al-Katifi was sentenced to a year and a half over taking images of public protests. Majeed Milad, the former president of the Capital Governorate Municipal, was taken into custody over a speech he delivered in a political seminar.
Media personnel and filed journalists received their share of violations through the ongoing obstruction by the security forces to limit or stop their work as in the cases of the Associated Press photographer, Hasan Jamali, and Agence France-Presse photographer, Mohamed Al-Shaikh.
Bahrain Press Association believes that the security authorities’ violations against journalists and photographers in addition to citizens who express their opinion via different means, especially social media, reveals that the fundamental rights for the freedom of opinion and expression have reached a dangerous level. BPA condemns the continuous repressive measures taken by the authorities against the photographers, media personalities and Internet activists, as a punishment for merely doing their job by covering the protests or exercising their rights in freedom of expression through the various media resources.
Appeals Session of Yacoub Al-Slaise Adjourned
The supreme court of appeals adjourned on 7th June, 2015 the case of Al-Fateh Youth Coalition member, Yacoub Al-Slaise, over the charge of “insulting the army” on social media “Twitter”. The defence panel presented an oral and written plea before the judge. The pleas were seized until issuing the verdict on 15th June.
Trial of Journalist Hani Al-Fardan Postponed
Bahrain’s First High Criminal Court adjourned on the 8th June, 2015 the case of journalist Hani Al-Fardan, in which he is charged with slander against Member of Parliament, Abdul Halim Murad, until 14th September, 2015 for deliberation and pleading. The Public Prosecution accused journalist Hani Al-Fardan and editor-in-chief of Al-Wasat Mansour Al-Jamri that “in February 2014 they publically attributed to the victim which defame him and subject him to punishment.”
Ghada Jamsheer Sentenced to one year and 8 months in prison
Bahrain’s First High Criminal Court sentenced the human rights defender and Head of the Women’s Petition Committee, Ghada Jamsheer, on the 9th June, 2015 to a year and eight months imprisonment over “insulting a number of employees” on social media. The court also specified a sum of 400 BD bail to stop the execution. The case against Ghada Jamsheer was brought against her by one of the ruling family; the director of the hospital, Salman bin Ateyatalla Al Khalifa, after she posted some tweets on her twitter account about corruption in King Hamad Hospital.
Arab Blogger Imprisoned and Expelled for promoting ISIS
On the 9th June 2015 a Bahraini court imprisoned an Arab blogger for one year and ordered the decision to be enforced immediately. The court also fined the accused 2000 BD and expelled him from Bahrain after serving his sentence for using social media to promote the so-called terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). The Public Prosecution brought against him the charge of “publishing topics on social media that promote the idea of one of the extremist organisations, which is considered an incitement of hate a sect and insult its rituals”.
Appeals Session of Ali Mearaj Adjourned for the 13th Time
The supreme court of appeals adjourned on the 14th June, 2015 the appeals session of the online activist Ali Mearaj until September 13, 2015 over the case in which he is accused of “insulting the king”. Mearaj’s session was adjourned for the 13th time because the attesting witness did not show up. During the session, the lawyer asked the judge to exclude the testimony of the witness after the judge presented documents proving that the witness is outside Bahrain.
Court of Appeals Upholds Fining Yacoub Al-Slaise 200 BD
The second court of appeals upheld on the 15th June, 2015 fined Al-Fateh Youth Coalition member, Yacoub Al-Slaise, 200 BD over the charge of “insulting the army”. The Public Prosecution charged Al-Salise with “publically insulting the army, through writing, in an incident on the 7th June, 2014”. Al-Salise, however, denied the charges brought against him, saying that “any offence against the army is an offence against me because I am a Bahraini citizen”.
Sheikh Ali Salman Sentenced to 4 years in prison
Bahrain’s Fourth High Criminal Court issued a preliminary sentence on the 16th June, 2015 imprisoning Bahrain’s opposition leader and Secretary-General of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Sheikh Ali Salman, to four years in prison after convicting him of charges of “inciting hatred against a sect, disobeying the laws and insulting the Ministry of Interior”. The court acquitted him of the charges of overthrowing the regime by force.
Investigation Al-Wefaq’s Deputy Secretary-General
The Ministry of Interior summoned on the 30th June, 2015 Al-Wefaq’s Deputy Secretary-General Khalil Al-Marzooq to investigations over a speech he delivered in Al-Dirza on June 27. Abdullah Al-Shamlawi said that Al-Marzooq was summoned to the Al-Budai police station. He was charged with “inciting hatred against the regime” and “insulting the Ministry of Interior”.
Questioning Sheikh Issa Eid
Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior summoned on the 30th June, 2015 the Shiite cleric, Sheikh Issa Eid, the preacher of Karzakaz Grand Mosque. Lawyer Abdullah Al-Shamlawi said that “Hamad City police station at Roundabout 17 summoned Sheikh Eid to the police station to interrogate him over a sermon he delivered on the 26th June 2015”.
Majeed Milad Arrested
Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior summoned on the 1st July 2015 the secretariat member and former president of the Capital Governorate Municipal, Majeed Milad, to interrogate him over a speech he delivered in a political seminar held by the Al-Wafaq National Islamic Society in Al-Ma’ameer. The ministry ordered his arrest as prior to his appearance before the Public Prosecution.
The prosecution decided on the 2nd July, 2015 to detain him for 7 days pending an investigation over “participating in a public seminar and inciting disobedience of law and staging protests”. On the 13th July 2015, he appeared before the 4th criminal court in his first trial session. The court decided to adjourn the case until the 4th August with his continued detention pending investigation. The court recited the charges brought against him, however, he denied them. Lawyer Abdullah Al-Shamlawi asked the court to give him some time for deliberation and pleading.
Dr. Saeed Al-Samahiji Released
On the 1st July 2015 the Bahraini authorities released Dr. Saeed Al-Samahiji, an eye surgery consultant, after serving his full sentence. A Bahraini court sentenced Al-Samahiji to one year in prison after convicting him of insulting the king on social media.
Kuwaiti Tweeter handed over to his country’s authorities
The Bahraini authorities handed over on the 11th July 2015 the Kuwaiti tweeter Yousef Shamlan Al-Essa to his country’s authorities over the charge of “spreading false information”. The Bahraini security apparatuses arrested him at Manama Airport as he attempted to leave for London. The Kuwaiti Public Prosecution charged the arrested Yousef Shamlan Al-Essa with “spreading false information deemed harmful to the country and its security”, “defaming and slandering the members of the judiciary by doubting their financial integrity,” in addition to “misusing the cell phone” through creating a group on WhatsApp called “Fintas”.
Ebrahim Sharif Rearrested
The Security authorities arrested on the 11th July 2015 the former Secretary-General of the National Democratic Action Society “Wa’ad”, Ebrahim Sharif, from his home in the early morning, 22 days after releasing him. The Director-General of the Criminal Investigation & Forensic Science Directorate in the Ministry of Interior announced that “Ebrahim Sharif was arrested for promoting the overthrow of the regime and publically inciting hatred against the regime” in a speech he delivered at a funeral in Muharraq on the 10th July 2015.
Sharif was released on the 19th June 2015 after spending about 5 years in prison before the authorities arrested him again.
Nabeel Rajab Released
On the 13th July 2015 the Bahraini authorities released the president of Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab. King Hamad bin Isa issued a royal decree granting a special pardon to Nabeel Rajab for “health reasons”. The Ministry of Interior arrested Rajab on the onset of April 2015 and sentenced him to 6 months in prison over “publishing information that would harm civil peace” and “insulting a statutory body”.
AFP Photographer Denied from Entering Al-Ekr
The Bahraini security forces denied on the 16th July 2015 the AFP photographer Mohammed Al-Sheikh from entering Al-Erk to photograph the funeral of the youth Kassim Mohsen whom the authorities said he was killed in a bomb blast. The security forces stopped Al-Sheikh for more than 20 minutes while he was attempting to enter the country through one of its entrances, thus preventing him from covering the event.
AP Photographer Prevented from Entering Al-Ekr
The Bahraini security forces prevented on the 15th July 2015 the AP photographer Hasan Jamali from entering Al-Erk to cover a bomb blast. The Ministry of Interior announced that the blast was caused by a locally made bomb. The security forces stopped Jamali’s attempts to enter Al-Ekr through one of its entrances after the announcement of the incident.
Photographer Ahmed Humaidan Beaten in Prison
Photographer Ahmed Humaidan was beaten on the 25th July 2015 in Jaw central prison. A group of security forces beat him after he and a number of his friends, announced starting a hunger strike demanding the amelioration of their conditions in the prison. Humaidan was sentenced to 10 years in prison over the charge of attacking a “police station”.
Photographer Mohammad Katifi Sentenced to Year and half in prison
On the 31st July 2015 a Bahraini court sentenced the photographer Moahmmad Al-Katifi, who resides in Al-Daih, for a year and a half in prison over the charge of photographing protests. Al-Katifi was convicted of photographing the protests that erupted on the 12th, 13th and 14th of February 2015 in Al-Daih, west of Manama, on the fifth anniversary of the uprising that erupted on the 14th February 2011.
Bahrain Press Association calls on the US, UK, UN and all the international organisations and institutions that are concerned with defending freedom of opinion, expression, journalism and media to urgently interfere and apply pressure on the Bahraini government to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release all the arrested photographers and media people who were arrested for covering the protests or exercising their right of freedom of expression;
- Stop the judicial trials over the charge of “insulting the king and soldiers” brought against internet activists and media people, the charge of “assembly” brought against photographers and that of “inciting hatred against the regime” brought against politicians;
- Allow the freedom of media and journalism and close the Internet censorship office in the Ministry of Communications;
- End the authorities’ monopoly over TV media and open media channels for the other opposing view;
- And call on the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression to schedule an urgent visit to Bahrain