September 8, 2010
According to Reporters Without Borders, during the recent, systematic attacks on opposition activists in Bahrain, prominent blogger and activist Ali Abdulemam was arrested on the night of September 4th. Abdulemam received a summons to report to the national security department and was arrested on alleged charges of disseminating false information. Abdulemam created the democracy forum, BahrainOnline.org, which receives 100,000 visitors daily and is one of the first in Bahrain to use the Internet as a platform for activism. The website is blocked within Bahrain in violation of basic freedoms of expression.
September 8, 2010
According to Reporters Without Borders, during the recent, systematic attacks on opposition activists in Bahrain, prominent blogger and activist Ali Abdulemam was arrested on the night of September 4th. Abdulemam received a summons to report to the national security department and was arrested on alleged charges of disseminating false information. Abdulemam created the democracy forum, BahrainOnline.org, which receives 100,000 visitors daily and is one of the first in Bahrain to use the Internet as a platform for activism. The website is blocked within Bahrain in violation of basic freedoms of expression.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Abdulemam has also been charged with suspicion of belonging to an alleged terrorist network. According to the Times report, the Gulf Daily News, a government-run news outlet, reported that the recent arrests were due to the government cracking down on a “sophisticated terrorist network operating with international support.” It is estimated that over 250 Shiites, most of whom are youth, have been arrested under this claim in an attempt to protect the Sunni control of Parliament in the upcoming election on October 23, according to the Times report.
Please send letters and call the Bahraini authorities to demand that they release Ali Abdulemam and all activists currently held on arbitrary charges, and that the government stop using fear tactics to intimidate dissidents, but allow freedom of expression and a democratic election to take place this October.
Contact:
Cheikh Hamad Bin Issa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, Fax: +973 176 64 587
Cheikh Khaled Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tel: +9 73 172 27 555; Fax: +9 73 172 12 6032
Cheikh Khaled Bin Ali Al Khalifa, Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs, Tel: +9 73 175 31 333; Fax: +9 73 175 31 284
Permanent Mission of Bahrain to the UN in Geneva:
1 Chemin Jacques-Attenville
1218 Grand-Saconnex, CP 39
1292 Chambesy, Switzerland
Fax: +41 22 758 96 50
Email: info@bahrain-mission.ch
Please send letters to the Gulf Daily News demanding that they end the smear campaign against the opposition and report accurate news on the recent crackdown on activists.
Contact:
Gulf Daily News
PO Box 5300
Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain
Tel: +9 73 17 620 222
Fax: + 9 73 17 622 141
Email: gdn1@batelco.com.bh
For more information, go to:
http://en.rsf.org/spip.php?page=impression&id_article=38298
http://advocacy.globalvoicesonline.org/2010/09/05/bahrain-bahraini-blogger-arrested/
www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-bahrain-crackdown-20100907,0,41503,print.story
To read recent alerts on Bahrain, go to:
www.wmd.org/alerts/arrest-abdeljalil-al-singace-and-opposition-leaders-bahrain