21 September 2010
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its concern at the Bahraini authorities’ continuing attempts to withhold information in order to manipulate public opinion by forging and distorting information. This has been noticed recently in the attempt of the Bahraini authorities to forge the statement of U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley concerning the recent arrests of Bahraini opposition figures, and the attempt of the Bahraini authorities to make the criticism sound as commendation.
21 September 2010
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses its concern at the Bahraini authorities’ continuing attempts to withhold information in order to manipulate public opinion by forging and distorting information. This has been noticed recently in the attempt of the Bahraini authorities to forge the statement of U.S. State Department spokesman Philip J. Crowley concerning the recent arrests of Bahraini opposition figures, and the attempt of the Bahraini authorities to make the criticism sound as commendation.
In the daily press briefing on 15th September, a reporter addressed a question to Philip J. Crowley, the US Dept of State starting with the following statement[1]: “There has been a string of arrests of opposition figures in Bahrain in recent days. Human rights groups are also alleging police torture,” then the reporter requested a comment on this “given the close relations between Bahrain and the United States”.
“This is something that we are in touch with Bahraini authorities and have expressed our concern,” Mr. Crowley said. “At the same time, we have confidence as Bahrain evolves that you don’t have to make a choice between security and democracy, and that this is the message that we’re sending to the government.”
Later, when the reporter asked the US Dept of State spokesman if they “believe the government’s claim that these opposition figures were trying to sort of arrange a coup against the royal family”, his answer was: “I don’t know that we’re aware of any information along those lines for –“
However, the Bahraini authorities forged the statement of US Dept of State spokesperson and sent their own version to the local daily newspapers. The following points out the manipulation to the statement:
“Attention to events in Kingdom… America: Bahrain evolves in security and democracy. During his daily press briefing in the US Dept of State in Washington, the ministry spokesman Philip J. Crowley expressed his country’s interest in the security events that the Kingdom of Bahrain has experienced recently. To a reporter’s question in this regard, the spokesman stressed that the United States has confidence that Bahrain is evolving in the fields of development, security and democracy”.
This distortion shows the efforts of the Bahraini authorities to mislead the public opinion on the local-scale as they want to convince people that the government is receiving sympathy and solidarity from all around the world amid growing international criticism of their security attacks that resulted in hundreds of detainees and hostages as well as blocking websites and suspending journals that belong to political parties.
This act of manipulation is inconsistent with the requirements of free press and with Bahrain’s position as a member in the Human Rights Council as well as the government claims to respect the freedom of opinion and expression.
Therefore, Bahrain Centre for Human Rights reiterates its call for the following:
1. To stop media blackout and distortion of information.
2. Immediately stop targeting the civil liberties and human rights, and stop any type of violation and attacks against citizens and activists in like manner.
3. To begin the process of a serious and genuine political reform in order to eliminate the causes of tension. This should be done through resolving all outstanding legal issues related to civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights.
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[1]Daily Press Briefing, Washington, DC – September 15, 2010
