Bahrain’s New Measures are an Attempt to Eradicate the Free Press and Free Speech
The Journalist Support Committee and the Bahrain Forum for Human Rights strongly condemn the Bahraini Ministry of Interior’s latest measure to restrict freedom of expression. This latest measure criminalises anyone who follows social media accounts critical of the Bahraini government. This new law was announced on Thursday 30th May, it constitutes a direct threat to citizen journalism in Bahrain as well as to Bahrainis who use social media to receive information. Bahrain’s repressive media environment means that social media platforms are an important source of news which is otherwise unreported in media outlets operating in Bahrain which are heavily censored.
This announcement came on the Ministry of Interior’s English language Twitter account it follows an announcement on Wednesday 22nd May by Mohammed Ibrahim Al Sisi the Chairman of the Council of Representatives’ Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security regarding a draft law focussing on ‘the crimes of defamation, insult, spreading rumours and infringing on individuals, bodies, entities and state institutions.’ Al Sisi explained that the bill would include ‘heightening penalty for the misuse of social media.’
The official Bahraini Police Media Centre released a statement from the Director-General of Anti-corruption and Economic and Electronic Security on Saturday 1st June which criticised accounts for being “involved in executing a systematic plan to tarnish the image of Bahrain and its people and promote sedition and disharmony in society”... “individuals providing support and backing to those accounts through comments would be held accountable.”
The articles of the Bahraini Penal Code most commonly used to restrict freedom of expression are the following: (160) promoting to change the state system by force, (165) incitement to hatred of the regime, (173) incitement to non-compliance with the law, (214) insulting the King, flag, or national emblem, (215) insulting a foreign country or international organization, (216) insulting the statutory bodies.
According to the 2015 report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, “Preliminary investigations may be used to intimidate, silence or otherwise deter defenders from carrying out their legitimate activities to promote human rights ”. This is true for Bahrain; Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior uses its legal authority for the same purpose, which is evident through the ministry’s bias in taking measures, pressing charges, and making press statements prior to the trials, in which it describes citizens as "criminals" or "terrorists" in political cases, which violates the presumption of innocence.
The Public Prosecution plays a major role in the justice system in Bahrain. It is responsible for investigating and accusing. It is the authority which judicial officers follow, as they work under its supervision in law enforcement affairs; such as arresting defendants or convicts, executing judicial verdicts and others, by virtue of the Code of Criminal Procedure.We have registered many violations of the rights of detainees, and those subjected to the Public Prosecution’s authority, either directly by the Public Prosecution or by judicial control officers.
The Journalist Support Committee and the Bahrain Forum for Human Rights call on the Bahraini authorities to honour their international commitments and ensure that freedom of expression is protected. The Kingdom of Bahrain has signed and ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and therefore it is an obligation of this treaty that Article 19 is not to be undermined by legislation such as the latest anti-cybercrime law. |