Verdict Against Twitter-User Tayyiba Ismail Is Upheld –Verdict against Dr. Saeed al-Samaheeji Is Upheld – Agence France-Presse (AFP) Photographer Denied License Renewal–Reuters Agency Photographer Denied License Renewal –Nabeel Rajab Transferred to Solitary Confinement.
September 2016:
The Court of Appeal Upholds One-Year Imprisonment Against Tayyibeh Ismail
The Second Criminal High Court of Appeal held its first session on September 5, 2016 to review the verdict issued against internet activist Tayyibeh Ismail of one-year imprisonment and a fine of 1000 dinars for “insulting the King.” The court decided to postpone its session to October 19, 2016. On that date, the court upheld the first-degree verdict by sentencing Ismail to one year of imprisonment
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The Court of Appeal Upholds One-Year Imprisonment against Dr. Saeed al-Samaheeji
The Second Criminal High Court of Appeal ruled on September 7, 2016 to uphold the verdict of one-year imprisonment against Dr. Saeed al-Samaheeji. Dr. al-Samaheeji was charged of “insulting a sisterly country (Saudi Arabia), publicly inciting violation of the laws and regulations in Bahrain, and publicly calling for participation in unlicensed protests and assemblies.” Dr. al-Samaheeji had published statements on his personal twitter account, severely criticizing Saudi’s execution of prominent Shiite religious cleric Shaikh Nimir al-Nimir.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) Photographer Denied License Renewal
On September 22, 2016 the concerned authorities refused to renew the license of Agence France-Presse (AFP) photographer Mohammed al-Shaikh. The Information Affairs Authority informed al-Shaikh that it would not renew his license to work in Bahrain. According to Provision 88 of the Press, Printing, and Publishing Law in Bahrain, “journalists working for foreign news agencies and residing in Bahrain are prohibited from practicing their profession and covering news without obtaining a license from the Information Affairs Authority, which needs to be renewed annually.”
Reuters Photographer Denied License Renewal
On September 30, 2016 the concerned authorities refused to renew the license of Aamir Mohammed, a photographer for Reuters international news agency. The Information Affairs Authority informed the photographer that it would not renew his license to work in Bahrain. According to Provision 88 of the Press, Printing, and Publishing Law in Bahrain, “journalists working for foreign news agencies and residing in Bahrain are prohibited from practicing their profession and freely covering news without obtaining a license from the Information Affairs Authority, which needs to be renewed annually.”
Nabeel Rajab Transferred to Solitary Confinement
On September 25, 2016 East Riffa prison authorities placed prominent human rights activist and Director of Bahrain Center for Human Rights Nabeel Rajab in solitary confinement. His family reported that they received a call informing them about his solitary imprisonment and his subjection to insults and screaming by one of the officers at the East Riffa police center. They added that “the clothes and towels the family provided for Rajab were smeared in water and dirt and that the family was prevented from delivering a radio device to him.” The security authorities arrested Rajab again on June 13, 2016 following tweets he published in 2015 against the war in Yemen.
The Release of Photographer Qassim Zain al-Deen
On September 30, 2016 the security authorities released photographer Qassim Zain al-Deen after completing three years of imprisonment for covering public protests. On September 24, 2014 the Third Criminal Court had sentenced him to three years of prison and a fine of 600 dinars.
October 2016
Journalist Faisal Hayyat Is Arrested–Journalist Faisal Hayyat Transferred to Prison Clinic –Playwright Director Yassir Nassir Ordered to Trial – The The Verdict Against Secretary-General of Wahdawi Society Is Modified–Religious Preachers and Singers Harassed during the Ashura Religious Season.
The Arrest of Journalist Faisal Hayyat
On October 9, 2016 the security authorities apprehended journalist Faisal Hayyat after he was summoned for investigation at the Criminal Investigation Directorate in Adliyya. Hayyat was charged of “insulting one of the sects in the country through his private twitter account.” Director of the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security Bassim al-Miraj stated that “the person publishing statements that insult one of the sects in the country through his twitter account has been arrested. All necessary legal measures have been taken to refer his case to the Public Prosecutor.” On October 10, 2016 the Public Persecutor, in its turn, decided to arrest the journalist for seven days pending investigation.
Playwright Director Yassir Nasir Sentenced to One-Year Imprisonment
On October 19, 2016 the Court of Appeal upheld the verdict against playwright director Yassir Nassir of one year of imprisonment on the charge of “participating in a sit-in in Diraz.” On August 31, 2016 the First Degree Court had ruled one-year detention for Nasir as part of a violent campaign against those who participated in the open sit-in at the house of religious leader Shaikh Issa Qassim.
Verdict Against Wahdawi Secretary-General Reduced from 5 to 3 Years
On October 26, 2016 the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence against former Secretary-General of the National Democratic Unionist Society (Wahdawi) Fathil Abbas from 5 to 3 years of imprisonment. Abbas was charged of “spreading false news and tendentious rumors and spreading inflammatory news harmful to the military operations of the armed forces.”
Religious Preachers and Singers Harassed during Ashura
The Ashura season (October 2-12, 2016) witnessed numerous cases of harassment of Shiite participants in the Ashura religious activities, amounting to 175 cases. The security forces summoned and apprehended many religious preachers, singers, and leaders and impeded their movement. They also destroyed banners and signs made for the religious occasion and confiscated religious materials. The authorities claimed that the preachers “are practicing slander of religious figures, such as Yazeed bin Maawiyya.” According to Bahrain Human Rights Forum, 32 cases were recorded of arbitrary arrests, 59 cases of destruction, 60 cases of confiscation, 14 cases of suppressing protests against forced removal of signs and the infringement on Ashura activities, 1 case of suppressing a religious procession, and 9 cases of impeding the movements of religious clerics.