Local Authorities tailor human rights organizations visits to extract false statements about freedom of expression in Bahrain
The sources of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) affirmed a funded scheme of inviting some of the regional and international human rights organizations to meet with Bahraini officials and extract statements from them which are used to polish the image of freedom of expression and press in the country.
Local Authorities tailor human rights organizations visits to extract false statements about freedom of expression in Bahrain
The sources of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) affirmed a funded scheme of inviting some of the regional and international human rights organizations to meet with Bahraini officials and extract statements from them which are used to polish the image of freedom of expression and press in the country.
In a recently published interview with Mr. Nedham Assaf- President of Amman Center for Human Rights Studies, he commended the level of media freedoms in Bahrain, and criticized those who disagree with the Government, without making a reference to reports by local and international organizations regarding the laws which violate basic rights, the constraining practices for liberties, the hard grip over media (TV, Radio and Press), censorship on daily newspapers and barring access to a large number of websites.
According to the published interview with Al-Wasat newspaper, Mr Assaf, who visited Bahrain through an official invitation by the Bahraini Ministry of Information, stated that “Bahrain has a good atmosphere of freedom of press, and a wide space for freedom of expression”.
Reporters without Borders sent a letter on June 26, 2008 to the Bahraini Minister of Information Jehad BuKamal stating that, “the Bahraini journalists are still exposed to imprisonment because of their writings, and the administrative decisions that permit the closing down of websites are still in effect.” The organization concluded its letter by saying that, “the 5th article excludes electronic publications from the press law, although it does not seem necessary for us to have a special law for the Internet. It is possible to apply the Press Code No. 47 of 2002 for the entire print press, in disregard of the nature of the press. We finally remind you of our persistence on liberating the audio-visual sector. It is not possible to expand the space for liberties, which you are striving to achieve, without putting an end to state monopoly for this sector.”
The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights calls its colleagues in the Amman Centre for Human Rights Studies to look at the international reports on liberties in Bahrain, and not to fall into the scheme of promoting countries which violate freedom of expression, press and media. The Government, when inviting officials of these organizations to Bahrain, it tailors and arranges interviews which are with pro-government figures and institutions (GONGOS), while it prevents them from meeting with independent NGOs and civil societies.
