May and June 2016: The refusal to renew the licenses of “Associated Press” and “France 24” correspondents and the arrest of tweeter Teeba Ismail and sentences against “Minrfazhm” But without implementation
London – July 1, 2016 – Bahrain’s Press Association: just like the months of May and June 2016 a continuation of targeting of journalists, reporters, photographers, singers and bloggers on social networks is still carried out by the authorities.
Cases of ‘personal expression’ have become a regular ‘guest’ in the courts at various levels, where defendants are often convicted despite their constitutional right to express their opinion. The Court of Appeal has toughened its sentence on the jailed general secretary of “Al-wifaq” Sheikh Ali Salman, from 4 to 9 years in prison for “inciting hatred of the regime”.
The court of appeal also upheld its judgment on tweeter Hussein Mahdi the “Takroz” account holder of imprisonment to 5 years. Shi’a cleric Sheikh Mohammad Mansi was sentenced to a year in prison after being convicted of giving a sermon that is deemed to presents “an insult to the Interior Ministry.” As for Mohammed bin Saqr Al Khalifa, the “Minrfazhm ” account holder he received judgments in five different cases with a total duration of up to a year, but was exempted from implementing the punishment by paying a fine.
The authorities also arrested both Teeba Ismail and Khalil Al-Mahoon after publishing critical comments on social media sites such as “Twitter” and “Instagram”. As part of a series of work prevention of correspondents, the Media Affairs Authority refused to renew the work license of the American news agency “Associated Press” correspondent Hasan Jamali and Radio “Montecarlo” international’s correspondent Naziha Saeed as well as preventing Saeed from traveling through all of Bahrain’s International Airport and the bridge of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Details are as follows:
The Appeal courts supports the imprisonment of “Karimi” for two years
The High court of the Second Criminal Appeal upheld on the 4th of May the imprisonment sentence of Ibrahim Karimi who had his nationality revoked and sentenced to two years and a month as well as fined 2100 dinars in the case of insulting an ally country and incitement of the regime and in possession of an electric detonator. It has already been ruled by the Court of First the sentence of Karimi for a year and a fine of 2000 dinars on the charge of first and second “insulting the king and inciting hatred against the regime”, he was imprisoned a year with effect from Article three which demonstrates “insulting an ally country” she sentenced him months and a fine of 100 dinars for Item IV “possession of an electric detonator.”
Tweeter Hassan Jassim’s trial postponed.
The local court postponed on the 4th of May 2016 the case of tweeter Hassan Jassim Ahmed (28 years) who is accused of “insulting a range of people” and “insulting the King” on the social network site “Facebook” on the 7th of June 2016. The court decided to call in the prosecution witness.
The postponement of tweeter Youssif Al-Aam’s trial.
The Criminal Court postponed on the 8th of May 2016, the trial of tweeter Youssif Al-Aam, who uses the name of “Haji Ahmad” on social network with more than 11,000 followers. During the session it was decided to postpone the hearing to the 26th of June, 2016 to bring in a prosecution witness. When the hearing date arrived and after the lawyer had given her speech it was again decided to postpone the hearing to the 27th of October 2016.
Prison sentences against “Minrfizhm” but without implementation if a fine is paid.
The Lower Criminal Third Court decided on the 9th of May 2016 to imprison Mohammed bin Saqr Al Khalifa, the owner of “Minrfizhm” account, for five months. In two new cases he was convicted of “insulting two figures through posts that he had published on social network site ‘Twitter’, and also accused of betraying his homeland and inciting the government’s overthrow “. The court ruled that the payment of 300 dinars fine would stop the implementation of his punishment in the two cases. On the 24th of May 2016, the same court sentenced him to seven months in prison for three other cases that were related to allegations that have been made to the public prosecutor by people who claim that he “insulted them and accused them of being members of the so-called Academy of change and seeking to overthrow the regime in Bahrain,”. The court ruled that that a fine of 500 dinars will ensure that all 3 sentences will not be implemented; the first sentence against the accused was two months of imprisonment and a fine of 200 dinars, the second sentence was two months imprisonment and a fine of 100 dinars, and in the third sentence 3 months imprisonment and a fine of 200 dinars.
The first session of vocalist Sayed Hassan Alawi trial is held
A local court held its first hearing session on the 17th of May 2016 of vocalist Sayed Hassan Alawi Al-Shahrkani’s trial on charges “insulting the King, national flag, and emblems” in a poem. It was decided to postpone the hearing to the 19th of May 2016. The security authorities had arrested on the 20th of April, 2016 the vocalist Al-Shahrkani after being summoned for questioning at the centre of the roundabout 17 in Hamad Town after delivering a eulogy in the area of Shahrkan.
Sheikh Mohammed Mansi is sentenced to one year in prison.
The Lower Criminal Court the third sentenced on the 24th of May 2016, the preacher Sheikh Mohammed Mansi to one year in prison on charges of delivering a sermon that represents “an insult to the Interior Ministry.” Mansi denied the charges, saying that the “phrases that are mentioned characterises the reality and is part of the freedom of opinion and expression that is guaranteed by the Constitution and the law.” The prosecution has stated that it “has completed its investigation into an incident that involved the preachers who is banned from public speaking (Mansi) delivering a sermon despite the ban that is in place against him. The contents of his speech included aspects that are deemed as criminal offenses, and he has been in custody but referred yesterday to appear before the Minor Criminal Court III. ”
The release of the tweeter Jalela Al-sayed with the continuation of the proceedings against her
It was decided by the Bahraini court on the 31st of January 2016, the release of the detained tweeter Jalela Al-Sayed Amin after nearly a year of imprisonment with the continuation of the case. The court also ruled to defer the lawsuit of the accused along with internet e-activist Ali Al-Makabi to the 21st of February, 2016. Al-Sayed was detained on the 10th of February, 2014 after her house was raided by a large number of troops and the confiscation of all her electronic devices. Both Al-Sayed and Al-Makabi are facing the charge of managing an account on Twitter under the name the “defiant media.”
The case of Majid Milad is sent for trial
The Second Criminal Court of Appeal decided on the 31st of January 2016 to send the case of Majid Milad; the former president of the Manama local Council and member of the opposition group for dialogue with the government, as well as a member of the secretariat of the ‘Al-Wifaq’ Association, for a court hearing on the 16th of February 2016. The court of the first level convicted Milad and remanded him in custody for two years on charges of incitement to non-compliance with the law. Lawyer Youssif Rabia’ attended with the appellant Majid Milad and presented the case with a plea to free his innocent client.
Increasing the sentence of Sheikh Ali Salman, from 4 to 9 years
The Supreme Court of Appeal ruled unanimously the views of the Court members on the 30th of May,2016 a harsher sentence against the Secretary General of “Al-Wifaq” Society, Sheikh Ali Salman, from 4 to 9 years. The court decided to accept the appeals to cancel the appellant’s verdict and to punish Sheikh Ali Salman with a sentence of 7 years, which was assigned to him for the first charge of “his attempt to overthrow the regime by force” and the second “hared of a sect” and the third “non-compliance with the law” Plus the endorsement of the two year imprisonment ruling for “insulting a statutory body ” bringing the total sentence to 9 years. The defence team described the ruling as a “surprise”, stressing that the “speeches that were the reason of Al-Sheikh’s conviction are in fact evidence of his innocence not guilt.”
The refusal of Media Commission to renew the license of “The Associated Press” reporter
The Media Affairs Commission refused on the 31st of May 2016, to renew the license to practice journalism for the American news agency “Associated Press” reporter, Hasan Jamali. And he has received a rejection reply to his application to renew his license as a reporter for the agency.
The postponement of Ibrahim Sharif’s appeal hearing.
The Supreme Court of Appeal held on the 31st of May,2016, its first hearing in the resumption of Ibrahim Sharif’s case, the leading figure in the opposition and former secretary general of ‘Waad’ Society regarding the ruling against him of a year in prison for the charge of “inciting hatred towards the regime”. The court decided to postpone the hearing of the appeal to the 15th of October, 2016, which means that Sharif will end his exact sentence of a year, prior to the second session of the appeal.
Radio “Montecarlo” correspondent refused work permit and prevented from travelling.
The Media Affairs Commission rejected on the 7th of June 2016, the renewal of Naziha Saeed’s license to practice journalism as a reporter for Radio “Montecarlo” international. Saeed received the refusal to renew her accreditation as a correspondent for the radio. On the 29th of June, 2016 the Bahrain International Airport authorities stopped her from traveling and also prevented her from trying to travel via the Wasit bridge in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s “the King Fahd” bridge. It turned out later that there is no decision to stop her from traveling when the authority in question was asked.
Fadel Abbas case to be postponed.
It was decided by the Supreme Court of Appeal on the 13th of June, 2016 to postpone the resumption of the detainee Fadel Abbas, Secretary General of assembly, “Al-Wahdawi” case, which he was sentenced to five years in prison, to the 28th of Junem2016 and on that day it was decided to postpone the hearing again to the 28th October.
Tweeter Teeba Ismail is arrested and her home raided.
The security authorities arrested on the 26th of June, 2016)Teeba Ismail, the mother of two, from her home after a raid at dawn without showing a warrant. The General Prosecutor’s Office later decided to detain her for a week on charges of “insulting the king” and “the incitement of hatred against the regime” through an account on the social network site “Twitter” under the name of “Nabila Mushaima Salman.”
The arrest of Khalil Al-Madehon the artist
The Security authorities arrested on the 27th of June, 2016 the artist Khalil Al-Madehon after being summoned for questioning at the criminal investigations at the Adlayah building. It was decided to refer him to the public prosecutor after he was charged with writing comments on the social network site “Instagram”.
The first hearing session is held of “Al-Wast” reporter Mahmoud Al-Jaziri’ trial.
A local court has held the first hearing session on the 28th of June, 2016, of Al Wast newspaper’s journalist, Mahmoud Al-Jaziri trial,on charges of “belonging to Al-Wafa party” and “joining a terrorist cell.” It was decided to postpone the hearing to the 28th of September 2016.
Al-Jaziri was arrested on the 28th of December, 2015 and transferred to the Criminal Investigation building where he was forced to stand on his feet for three consecutive days.
Appeal ruling in favour of five years imprisonment of tweeter Hussein Mahdi
The Court of Appeal upheld on the 30th of June, 2016 its first sentence of 5 years imprisonment for tweeter Hussein Mahdi the owner of “Takroz” account on “Twitter”, on charges of “offending the king.” He was also fined 10 thousand dinars.