Date: 13 January 2008
Person(s): Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja
Target(s): Activists and rights defenders
Type(s) of violation(s): censorship, forbidden
Date: 13 January 2008
Person(s): Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja
Target(s): Activists and rights defenders
Type(s) of violation(s): censorship, forbidden
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) expresses its concerns about the measures taken by the Bahraini Authorities to terminate a live program arranged by the Egyptian News Satellite with Mr Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja – President of Bahrain Center for Human Rights- to cover the trip of Mr George W. Bush, US president to Bahrain. The producer of the Egyptian program expressed their apology to Mr Al-Khawaja for the last minute termination of the program as a result of the sudden refusal of the Bahrain TV administration to carry out the interview, which was arranged over a week ago through the Union of the Arab Broadcasters.
The Bahraini Authorities did not explain the reasons for the termination of the program which was planned to be broadcasted at 10pm Saturday evening (local time) on January 12 th 2008. This act by the local Authorities could not be understood but being part of the systematic media blockade imposed on human rights defenders who may portray an image about the situation in Bahrain, different than that broadcasted by the Governmental media bodies to the regional and international communities .
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Send appeals to the Bahraini Authorities asking for their respect for freedom of expression, particularly for human rights defenders, whose views are important to maintain and protect general rights and liberties. Furthermore, the Authorities are called to stop preventing human rights defenders from access to media and all means of communications to the public.
APPEAL and TAKE ACTION TO:
– His Highness Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa- King of Bahrain
Riffa –Bahrain
– His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Al-Khalifa
Cabinet Prime Minister
Fax: +97 3 1 721 1363
– Mr Jehad Bu-Kamal,
Minister of Information
Please copy appeals to the source if possible.
MORE INFORMATION:
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