January and February 2016: 13 cases related to free opinion are presented at courts and the conduct of investigation with chief of “Al-Watan” and “Al-Belad” and the prevention of “Al Wasat” from using YouTube
London – 1st of March, 2016 – Bahrain Press Association: Bahraini authorities have continued the year of 2016 with the targeting of media personnel and workers in the field of journalism, photography and bloggers on social networks mostly on charges that are essentially related to the right of freedom of expression/speech.
Bahrain Press Association a recorded numerous violations during the months of January and February 2016, with about 13 cases were presented in courts all of different degrees but related to freedom of expression and opinion, 3 of which at least were convicted as guilty and they are; the tweeter Ghada Jamsheer (4 months imprisonment for two different cases) former MP Khaled Abdel Aal (a whole year in prison) and cameraman Ahmed Al-Fardan (imprisonment for 3 months). The Media Affairs Authority also prevented the newspaper “Al-Wasat” from using its channel on “YouTube.” At a time when the public prosecution summoned two newspapers editors “Al-Watan” and “Al-Bilad” for questioning upon a complaint against a press statement that was published by both newspapers which allegedly contained a defamatory language towards an MP (member of parliament). The House of Representatives has complained to the public prosecutor about 15 tweeters. While three state run newspapers a “Al-Watan” and “Al-Ayam” and “Gulf News” dismissed some employees and reduced the salaries of other by 40 to 60 per cent.
Journalist Mahmoud Al-Jaziri is forced to stand on his feet for 3 consecutive days.
The journalist’s family told “Al-Wasat” newspaper that Mahmoud Al-Jaziri (1st January, 2016) that he was forced to sign a confession after he was exhausted by fatigue, which stated that he admits to belonging “Al-Wafaa” party. Al-Jaziri (17 years old) was also forced to stand on his feet for three consecutive days while blindfolded. On the dawn of the 28th of December,2015 the Bahraini security forces stormed into Al-Jaziri’s home and took him to the criminal investigations building. On the 4th of January, 2016 the public prosecutor decided to imprison him for a period of thirty days pending an investigation. His charges were announced publically across official state run TV channel which were being a member of terrorist cell, financing terrorist activities and having a connection with a foreign country.
Ali Al-Miraj’s appeal is postponed for the 17th time
The Supreme Court of Appeal postponed on the 5th of January, 2016, for the 16th time the case of the internet activist Ali Al-Miraj, where he is accused of “insulting the King” to the 31st of January, 2015. In a previous session the judge had rejected the lawyer’s plea until the lawyer waived his request to bring the public prosecution witness in the case. On the 31st of January, the appeal was again postponed for the 17th time.
The Criminal Court held on the 7th of January, 2016, the second session of tweeter Youssif Al-Aam who writes on social network sites using the name “Haji Ahmad” with more than 11 thousand followers to his account. The session was chaired by the judge Mohammed bin Ali Al Khalifa.
Al-Aam was arrested on the 7th of September 2015, as he was accused of “abusing the forces that are involved in the Decisive Storm” and “broadcasting statements that could damage and cause panic among the people in time of war” and “making jokes of the nation’s martyrs through his Twitter account.”
Tweeter Nadr Abd-Alimam is set free and the postponement of Secretary General of the “Al-Wahdawi” appeal.
The Court of Appeals acquitted on the 7th of January 7, 2016, the tweeter Nadr Abd-Alimam of the charge of “gathering a mob assembly”. The Court of First Instance had ruled that Abd-Alimam and others to serve six months in prison and a fine of 100 dinars in the case of forming a gathering in the capital Manama. However, the appeals court decision came to abolish this ruling.
Furthermore, the Court of Appeals postponed on the 10th of January, 2016 the case of the Secretary-General (former) of the Association of the National Democratic “Al-Wahdawi” Fadel Abbas to the 3rd of March to inform the prosecution witness. It was decided by the fourth major criminal court to sentence him to five years in prison on charges of “broadcasting false news and malicious rumours” and “propagates sensational publicity that could harm the military operations of the Armed Forces.”
Hussain Habil’s appeal is annulled due to the prison’s administration delay in informing him.
“Joe” Central Prison Administration informed the photographer Hussain Habil on the 12th of January, 2016 that the sentence he received in April 2014 to one year in prison in the case of “gathering an assembly of people” had its appeal ended as a result of their delay in informing him.
Both chief editors of “Al-Watan” and “Al-Bilad” newspapers are called in for questioning.
The public prosecution questioned on the 3rd of January, 2016 both chief editors of “Al-Watan” Youssif AL-Binkhalil and Moaans Al-Mardi of “Al-Bilad” newspapers against the backdrop of the filed reports that have been submitted by MP Rooa Hayki who claimed that both newspapers published a statement issued by four deputies/ MPs on the 13th of October 2015. The questioning lasted for an hour where both faced the charges of “publishing of a press release that includes defamation against the MP as well as insulting her” but they have denied the charges against them and so the General Prosecutor’s Office released them with the insurance of their place of residence.
The postponement of the Secretary General of “Al-Wifaq” Sheikh Ali Salman’s appeal
The Court of Appeal postponed on the 14th of January, 2016 the trial of the Secretary General of “Al-Wifaq” Society, Sheikh Ali Salman, to the 30th of March, 2016, so as to allow the defence team to make their speeches regarding the charges against the detainee which are “insulting a statutory body” and “inciting the breach of the laws “and” working to overthrow the regime” Which were all denied by Salman, who in his plea he stressed his commitment to striving in accomplishing a constitutional monarchy in Bahrain.
The dismissals of journalists and reduction of salaries in three Bahraini newspapers.
Three state run newspapers; “Al-Ayam” and “Al-Watan” and “Gulf News” have dismissed numerous journalists during the month of January 2016, and reviewed the contracts of journalists and other staff under the pretext of austerity. “Al-Watan” newspaper closed the printing press and the dismissal of all the employees there, in addition to reducing the journalists’ salaries by 40 to 60 per cent. While the “Al-Ayam” newspaper laid off employees and reduced the wages of others. As did as state run “Gulf News” in dismissing workers of ‘Al-Bilal’ company which is owned by the newspaper.
Among the journalists who had their salary decreased, is the main columnist of “Al-Watan” newspaper Hisham Al-Zayani and Sawsan Al-Shaar and Faisal Al Sheikh and Najat Al Mudhahki. Al-Zayani wrote on his twitter account on the 17th of January, 2016 that he had to “stop writing in the newspaper after his salary was cut by 60 per cent.”
“Al-Senkees” is transferred to the military hospital after the deterioration of his health.
The family of Abdul Jalil Al-Senkees the activist and leader of the “Al-Haq” movement said on the 19th of January, 2016 that he was urgently transferred from “Joe” central prison to the military hospital due to deterioration in his health following a hunger strike. They also reported that the proportion of potassium in Al-Senkees blood was very low as a result of his refusal to eat for more than 300 days in protest at the ill-treatment suffered by “Joe” prison detainees. On the 28th of January his family stated that he has stopped the hunger strike after 313 days.
The court supports the imprisonment of tweeter Ghada Jamsheer
The Second Criminal High Court Appeal upheld on the 19th of January 2016 the verdict against the tweeter and feminist activist Ghada Jamsheer of two months imprisonment and a fine of 100 dinars for the charges of “attacking an employee at King Hamad Hospital, with words that tarnish his honour and reputation on Twitter” The court reduced her second sentence of one year in prison on the charge of “libel and insult to the hospital’s director” to just two months imprisonment, bringing the total period of her imprisonment to four months. On 31st of January the court dropped the right to appeal the judgment after Jamsheer failed to attend the hearing.
“Al-Wasat” newspaper is prevented from using “YouTube”
It was stated by “Al-Wasat” newspaper on the 25th of January, 2016 that it had received a telephone call from the Ministry of Information Affairs informing them that they are banned from using the global social network site “YouTube.” This comes after the ministry banned “Al-Wasat” newspaper on the 7th of January, 2016 of broadcasting video clips on the pretext that the newspaper is working according to the Legislative Decree No. 47 of 2002 in relation to the regulation of the press, printing and publishing “and that its license does not include licensing the activity of broadcasting and displaying news videos “. In the statement it is claimed that the ban will only be for the current period until the “completion of the draft of the media law, which hopefully will address the regulation of audio-visual activities.”
House of Representatives/ Parliament reports 15 tweeters to the prosecutor.
The House of Representatives of Bahrain reported on the 26th of January 2016 about 15 complaints to the public prosecutor to fight corruption and economic and cyber security against tweeter on social networks who are accused of “defamation and insult to the Council of Representatives.” The Parliament being the legislative institution had submitted 10 filed reports to the public prosecutor, while MPs submitted in their personal capacity, about 5 filed reports. Among those that were reported to the public prosecutor was a known mosque preacher after clip of him was posted on his Instagram account.
Doctor Saaed Samahiji’s trial is postponed.
The ninth Minor Criminal Court heard on the 31st of January, 2016 the case of doctor Saaed Samahiji who is accused of “insulting an allied country” and “public incitement to non-compliance with the law and regulations in Bahrain” and “a public call to participate in marches and unlicensed gatherings” through the means social network. The lawyer Talal Ayoubi said that he had “asked the court to provide him a copy of the case papers and so he can study it and reply and release Samahiji due to his old age and the illnesses he suffers from plus the fact that he has denied what was attributed to him.” Ayoubi added that the court postponed the case until the 4th of February, 2016 with continued imprisonment. When the session was held it got postponed again to the 17th of February after the lawyer requested the attendance of the prosecution witness.
The Start of tweeter Ibrahim Karimi’s trial.
The fifth Lower Criminal Court began on the 31st of January, 2016 the trial of tweeter Ibrahim Karimi who has had his nationality revoked on charges of “abuse of social media” and “attacking the leader of an allied country”. They also charged him with managing “Freij Karimi” an account on “Twitter.” The lawyer Fatima Abdul Hadi said that Karimi “had denied the charges against him before the court.” The court decided to adjourn the trial to the 7th of February 2016 yet on that date it got postponed again to the 15th of February, then again to the 13th of March 2016, and this was after the lawyer had requested the attendance of the prosecution witness.
The release of tweeter Jalela Al-Sayed with the continuation of the proceedings against her
The Bahraini court decided on the 31st of January, 2016 to release the detained tweeter Jalela Al-Sayed Amin after nearly a year in prison with the continuation of the case. It also decided to defer the consideration of the lawsuit of accused along with the internet activist Ali Al-Mkabi to the 21st of February, 2016. Al-Sayed was detained on the 10th of February, 2014 after a vast number of troops surrounded her house and confiscated her electronic devices. Al-Sayed along Al-mkabi face charges of managing a Twitter account under the name “the defiant media.”
Majid Milad’s case is on trial
The Second Criminal Court of Appeal decided on the 31st of January, 2016 to order the case of Majid Milad; the former leader of the local Manama Council and former member of the opposition team for dialogue with the government, a member of the secretariat of the ‘Al-Wifaq’ Association to a court hearing on the 16th of February, 2016. The court of first level convicted Milad and remanded him in custody for two years on charges of incitement to non-compliance with the law. The lawyer Youssif Rabe’a attended with the appellant Majid Milad and presented his plea where he requested the release of his innocent client.
A Year imprisonment for deputy Khaled Abdel Aal because of tweet
The Court of Appeal upheld on the 1st of February, 2016 the imprisonment of former MP Khaled Abdel Aal of one year for “insulting the Interior Ministry” on the social network site of “Twitter”. Abdel Aal was convicted in the first degree court and sentenced to a whole year in prison for posting Tweets on his “Twitter” account regarded as “an insult to the Ministry of the Interior.”
Jailed photographer Ahmed Al-Fardan’s sentence of 3 months is upheld
The Court of Appeal upheld on the 3rd of February, 2016) the sentence of jailed photographer Ahmed Al-Fardan of three months on charges of “assembly”, a charge that was formerly denied by Fardan before the court. The third Lower Criminal Court presided over by Judge Jaber Al-Jazar and the Secretariat of Hammad Hussein ruled on the 17th of February, 2015 the detention of photographer Ahmed Al-Fardan for 3 months with a fine of 100 dinars to withheld the implementation of the sentence. Fardan complained before the judge of being tortured while in detention, explaining that he was carrying out his work of photography for the Italian agency “Noor Photo”.