General and Historical Overview
A fully democratic society is characterized among other things by a free and independent press because it is an essential watchdog that holds those in positions of authority responsible and gives a forum to a range of voices and viewpoints. This is especially crucial and an urgent matter of concern when considering nations like Bahrain, where democratic freedoms and human rights have significantly declined over the last 20 years.[1]
The media landscape in Bahrain has traditionally been meddled with to a significant degree by the government. With the creation of the first National Assembly in 1973 and the implementation of media reforms, Bahrain went through a phase of relative openness following its independence.[2] But this time frame wasn’t long. Restrictions were tightened as a result of an uprising in the 1990s, and the National Action Charter’s passage in 2001 only provided short-term respite.[3] An important turning point was the pro-democracy revolt in 2011, when the government stepped up its crackdown on dissent, targeting media professionals and journalists who dared to question the official narrative.[4]
There was some hope when the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) was established to look into human rights abuses during the 2011 revolution. The BICI suggested a number of reforms, one of which was media liberalization.[5] The government’s “media reform program” that followed, however, turned out to be mainly cosmetic. Although the High Commission for Media and Communication (HCMC) was established to regulate the media industry, many have questioned its independence. Concerns have been raised over the government’s genuine commitment to reform since the HCMC has imposed additional limitations rather than encouraging a free and open media environment.[6]
The ecosystem for journalism in Bahrain cannot be said by any metric to allow a free, independent, and impartial media. The problem stems from the way that the legal system has been manipulated in favor of restricting rights such as to free speech and other rights pertinent to the work of journalists. This is then enforced at a systematic level both through ‘lawful’ means such as closures and non-granting of licenses to clearly unlawful ones such as arbitrary arrests and torture. As time progresses, the methods employed in performing these acts have also evolved to include, among other things, spyware.
This report examines the current state of press freedom and journalist rights in Bahrain, where a combination of oppressive measures, restrictive laws, and a culture of impunity has created an environment that is unfriendly to independent journalism. It seeks to highlight the oppressive conditions that Bahraini journalists must endure and the pressing need for extensive reforms to guarantee the nation’s free and independent press.
Read full report here.