(BCHR/IFEX) – A statement by the Higher Criminal Court on 27 November 2007
affirmed the permanence of the decision to stop publishing news or press
comments on the “Al-Bandar report”, although the prosecution of Salah
Al-Bandar, the issuer of the report, was passed.
The decision to extend the “publication ban order” was explained by the
judge in the following statement: “The ruling on the accused was made in
his absence, and thus was susceptible to reversal and appeal by default,
(BCHR/IFEX) – A statement by the Higher Criminal Court on 27 November 2007
affirmed the permanence of the decision to stop publishing news or press
comments on the “Al-Bandar report”, although the prosecution of Salah
Al-Bandar, the issuer of the report, was passed.
The decision to extend the “publication ban order” was explained by the
judge in the following statement: “The ruling on the accused was made in
his absence, and thus was susceptible to reversal and appeal by default,
meaning it had not yet become final, and this justifies maintaining a ban
on any publication about the report”.
The ban on any media coverage of the “Al-Bandar report”, originally issued
in 2006, resulted in the prosecution of many journalists (for example,
Mohamed Al-Sawad and Ahmed Al-Aradi of the “Alwaq” newspaper) and some
human rights activists (for example, Nabeel Rajab of BCHR). Furthermore,
the Bahraini Ministry of Information used this ban to activate articles 40
and 71 of the Press Decree Code of 2002, issuing an official order to
prevent Internet access (from inside Bahrain) to many Bahraini and
non-Bahraini websites that make reference to the report. This ban continues
and applies to electronic forums, sites of local political and civic
organizations, including religious, secular and ethnic groups based outside
Bahrain. It also banned access to websites of human rights organizations
BCHR and HAQ (inside Bahrain) as well as the Network of Human Rights
Information (HRinfo), outside Bahrain.
The “Al-Bandar report” contains documents exposing a “secret” organization
led and funded by known official organizations – mainly the Royal Court –
and contains executive plans aiming at introducing sectarian sedition,
rigging elections and undermining dissident groups, disenfranchising Shia
populations, creating and funding phony non-governmental organizations,
clamping down on and containing civic organizations, as well as managing a
politically-motivated change of demography scheme by facilitating the
immigration of thousands of people of different nationalities from around
the region. The report also exposes the mobilization of the media team and
capabilities of a newspaper created, funded and supported by the secret
organization, and dedicated to achieving the above objectives and to
misleading people about the report and its content, as well as about many
public issues, activists and rights organizations.
BCHR is concerned about the ban on media coverage of the “Al-Bandar
report”, which only raises suspicions over the contents of the document.
This is a blatant breach of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights acceded to by Bahrain. Furthermore, BCHR is concerned about
the use of legislation to clamp down on freedom of expression and to limit
space for action by human rights activists and their organizations.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to Bahraini authorities:
– calling for an end to the constraints on media access and freedom of
expression, including the banning of various websites
– denouncing the use of legislation, and the Press Decree Code in
particular, to punish individuals and groups who attempt to express their
views on public issues
– condemning the alleged creation of a “secret organization” aimed at
influencing media, activists and their organizations
APPEALS TO:
His Hightness Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-khalifa, King of Bahrain
His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa
Cabinet Prime Minister
Fax: +973 1721 1363
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
For further information contact Nabeel Rajab, Vice-President, BCHR, Manama,
Bahrain, tel: +973 3963 3399 / 3940 0720, fax: +973 1779 5170, e-mail:
nabeel.rajab@bahrainrights.org, info@bahrainrights.org, Internet:
http://www.bahrainrights.org
