Articles by Bahrain Center for Human Rights
Media coverage of elections marred by self-censorship, political pressure, exclusion of voices and blocking of Internet, finds World Press Freedom Day report
(BCHR/IFEX) – The following is an abridged 3 May 2008 BCHR press release: On World Press Freedom Day: A Report by a Regional Group Calls for Reforming the Media in Bahrain; The BCHR Calls for Discussing Report Findings and Implementing Its Recommendations The results of monitoring the media coverage of the last parliamentary elections in […]
Authorities threaten to use force to prevent conference
(BCHR/IFEX) – A high Bahraini security officer informed Karbabad Matam, an events venue in Manama, that it was not allowed to hold a public conference scheduled for 25 April 2008. The security officer stated that, if necessary, the Security Special Forces (SSF) would intervene by force to prevent the event from taking place. The organisers […]
Editor fined in defamation case
(BCHR/IFEX) – The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is concerned by the use of the repressive and widely condemned Press Decree Code 47 (2002) against a local journalist and news editor. Jaafar Al Jamry from “Al Wasat” newspaper was handed a BD 150 (approx. US$396) fine by judges at the High Criminal Court on 16 […]
Twenty-one IFEX members, 34 other groups call for end to jailing and torture of demonstrators and human rights activists in Bahrain
(BCHR/IFEX) – The following is a joint appeal from BCHR, 20 other IFEX members and 34 other groups to the king of Bahrain, Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa: Sheikh Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa King of Bahrain Riffa, Bahrain Fax: +973 176 64 587 Your Royal Highness, We the undersigned national and international human […]
Postal authorities suspend union activist for speaking to media
(BCHR/IFEX) – On 6 February 2008, another union activist was punished for expressing her views on labour rights to the media. The Bahraini Postal Directorate of the Ministry of Transport suspended postal unionist Mrs. Najeya Abdulghaffar for 10 days without pay, on the allegation that she disclosed “job secrets”. Abdulghaffar, vice-president of the “unauthorized” Postal […]
Novel banned for allegedly defaming historic religious figure
(BCHR/IFEX) – BCHR has recently learned that the Ministry of Islamic Affairs (MIA) has once again refused to approve distribution of the novel “Omar . . . A Martyr” by Bahraini novelist Abdulla Khalifa. Omar Ibn Al-Khattab was the second Islamic Caliph after the prophet Mohammed and is regarded by Muslims as one of the […]
Authorities force cancellation of live programme on US president’s visit
(BCHR/IFEX) – The following is a 13 January 2008 BCHR statement: Rights Defender Forbidden Media Access The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its concern about the measures taken by the Bahraini authorities to terminate a live programme arranged by the Egyptian News Satellite with Mr. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja – President of the BCHR – […]
Internet censorship denies citizens access to popular public forums, news, alternative information, says BCHR
(BCHR/IFEX) – The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its concern about the persistent measures taken by the Bahraini authorities to block the flow of information by preventing access to websites and popular online forums. There are over 535 websites based in Bahrain, focusing on 25 different themes. One-hundred and eleven of these sites […]