The Bahrain Press Association’s Semi-Annual Report 2024:11 violations, 4 arrests, 4 interrogations, 4 judicial proceedings, and the releaseof 3 journalists
Bahrain Press Association, 28th of July 2024, London, United Kingdom:
The Bahrain Press Association (BPA) documented 12 cases of violation against writers, politicians, and cyber activists during the first half of 2024.
The number of freedom-of-expression-related cases that resulted in arrest or interrogation reached 4, with another 4 cases involving legal proceedings. Thus, the total number of cases that have been documented since the outbreak of the uprisings in mid-February 2011 until the end of July 2024 amounted to about 1886 violations of freedom of opinion and expression.
The royal amnesty granted by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued on 9th April 2024, which included about 1500 of inmates convicted in political and security cases, was a glimmer of hope and a positive development towards overcoming the repercussions of the political and security crisis that engulfed the country since February 2011. Nonetheless, the political and security authorities have continued their practices of pursuing journalists, politicians and human rights activists. Moreover, summons and interrogations have become systematic tactic of intimidation and harassment against those involved in public affairs.
The Bahrain Press Association was able to document the charges brought against activists, which included “insulting a specific ministry via social media,” “publishing tweets disparaging individuals revered by a religious sect,” “inciting hatred against a group of people in a way that incites strife and sectarianism,” “harming the fabric of Bahraini society,” “publicly inciting contempt for a sect of society,” “misuse of social media,” “assaulting victim’s honor and reputation with words and actions.”
No room for criticism: McLaren is a red line
In March, Bahraini authorities arrested the former Secretary-General of the National Democratic Action Society (WAAD), Ibrahim Sharif, pending investigation for seven days. He had been summoned by the Anti-Cybercrime Directorate and subsequently transferred to the Public Prosecution for interrogation. Interrogations focused on tweets on “X” (formerly Twitter) in which he criticized the substantial budgets pumped into McLaren without accountability, as opposed to the budget for housing projects and citizens’ needs. The tweets noted that citizens “live in humiliating poverty, chronic unemployment, marginalization and class disparities, and housing waiting lists that extend until the [applicant’s] time comes to leave this world,” as Sharif put it.
In another tweet, Sharif included figures that proves the validity of his previous claims that the government’s total investment in McLaren through the Bahrain Investment Holding Company (Mumtalakat) in 2023 is several times more than what it has spent on housing projects in Bahrain. Sharif was released after four days without declaring whether he will be formally charged and referred to court.
Ministry of Education: A freedom-suppressing policy
In March 2024, a former female employee of the Ministry of Education was prosecuted and accused of insulting a government ministry through social media. Lulwa Elbenali (42 years old) posted videos in which she spoke about a mafia within the Ministry that sells drugs to female students, with some officials covering up these activities. It is noteworthy that this is not the first time this issue has been raised; others who spoke out about it in previous years were also prosecuted and convicted.
Elbenali, who reported on incidents occurring in girls’ public schools, was summoned for interrogation in March by the Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security Administration upon receiving a complaint from the Ministry of Education. The Ministry accused her of “insulting a government body by spreading false news.” Al-Awadhi had been previously fired from her job.
She was referred to trial in April of the same year and was convicted by the Minor Criminal Court. She was fined a hundred dinars for the charges against her. The Third Criminal High Court rejected al-Awadhi’s appeal on the merits and upheld her conviction for insulting a state ministry.
It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Education adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards any criticism or attempt to expose corruption. Moreover, the number of cases brought to interrogation or transferred to the court based on complaints by the Ministry of Education is on the rise. Since Mohammed bin Mubarak assumed the position of Undersecretary until his appointment as the Minister of Education last year, he has been adopting extreme policies towards his critics, despite being a writer in the local press before his appointment to this position.
Media Blackout
Lat April, the issue of gases that spread across the Nuwaidrat and Eker areas sparked controversy due to their proximity to the oil refinery. The gases spread to nearby areas, reaching as far away as the north and west of Bahrain. Inhabitants of the area continues to complain about fainting and health problems that affect people of all ages. Nonetheless, media remain surprisingly silent, which indicates that the government authorities prevent press investigations and publications on the issues. Some local newspapers only published official statements issued by the Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) and other entities that denied any gas leakage. In its statement made several days after the problem arose, BAPCO referred to those gases as “normal operational emissions.”
When the company admitted that there was a gas leak, newspaper columnists praised the state’s handling of the incident, despite the state’s involvement in denying the leak. Those columnists wrote about the “high-level of interaction and crisis management.” The Supreme Council for the Environment also denied that the gases were harmful to humans, despite dozens of cases being transferred to hospitals from areas surrounding the refinery due to fainting, reflux, and other complications related to inhaling the gas.
The press played the role of a tool in the hands of the state, obeying its orders and publishing only what it allows to. More problematic, however, was the press’s involvement in concealing the facts, downplaying its repercussions, and closing the door to further investigation into the victims and affected families.
Social Media
Last April, former Colonel Mohammed Al-Zayani posted a video mocking the inhabitants of an area—predominantly Shiites—for owning luxury cars, beautiful houses and having nicely paved streets. He also made derogatory remarks about women of this sect, hinting at what was not received or understood by the public. As a result, complaints were filed against him, and the Minor Criminal Court in its Third Circuit issued its verdict convicting him of recidivism by committing the same crime he had previously committed. He publicly incited hatred and contempt for a sect. He was sentenced to three months with enforcement, a fine of one hundred dinars, and the confiscation of his mobile phone used in committing the crime.
The incident opened the door to more sectarian tension, leading to the summoning and arrest of a citizen by the Anti-Cybercrime Directorate for posting a video on social media that undermines the social fabric and threatens civil peace.
Prison Release
On April 8 of this year, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued an amnesty for about 1,500 prisoners on the occasion of the silver jubilee of his ascendance to the throne. The pardon included the release of journalist Mahmoud al-Jaziri, who was arrested in December 2015 and accused of affiliating with the Islamic Wafa Movement. The authorities also charged him with financing terrorism, inciting hatred against the regime, communicating with a foreign country and providing it with information, and calling for the overthrow of the regime. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Al-Jaziri was a journalist at Al-Wasat newspaper, specializing in parliamentary affairs. Al-Wasat is Bahrain’s only independent newspaper, which was later closed by the authorities.
Photographers Mostafa Rabie and Ahmed Zein El-Din were also included in the royal pardon. Rabie and Zein El-Din, along with photographer Hussam Sorour, were arrested on charges of attacking police officers and participating in an illegal gathering. Accordingly, they received long sentences exceeding ten years.
Recommendations
In this regard, the Bahrain Press Association urges the authorities in Bahrain to repeal the laws that permit the prosecution of critics of the government and the performance of its ministries and officials. It also calls on the government to soften its hardline stance towards the press and its policy of muzzling, censorship and restricting opinions. In addition, the Association recommends the release of the remaining detainees accused in cases related to demonstrations, photography and filming, and other cases of freedom of expression.
The Bahrain Press Association calls on the United Nations, the countries that have friendly ties with Bahrain and all international organizations and bodies concerned with defending the freedom of opinion and expression, press and media freedoms to intervene urgently and exert pressure on the Bahraini government to:
- Immediately and unconditionally release all photographers, media professionals, and civil society activists detained for practicing their work or exercising their right to freedom of opinion and expression.
- Adopt a more serious and open government policy towards the rights of journalists and civil society activists to exercise their constitutional and legal rights to express their opinion and exercise the right to criticize without fear or targeting.
- Abolish laws pertaining to arbitrary charges such as “offending a government entity,” “misuse of social media,” and all what restricts freedom of expression in the country.
- Reconsidering the work priorities of the Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security Administration, especially with regard to its authority to censor Internet users.
- Put an end to the authority’s monopoly of the television, radio and print media, and enabling the voice of opposition in the media—including reauthorizing the publication of Al-Wasat newspaper.