21 January 2011
The BCHR expresses grave concern regarding the Bahraini authorities continued suppression of public freedoms, specifically by criminalizing the freedom of opinion and expression and turning it into criminal and security cases[1]. This time the target of this suppression is the internet activist Mohammed Rashid, who was arrested for writing online about human rights abuses, spreading statements of opposition political movements, and criticizing journalists who are close to the authorities.
21 January 2011
The BCHR expresses grave concern regarding the Bahraini authorities continued suppression of public freedoms, specifically by criminalizing the freedom of opinion and expression and turning it into criminal and security cases[1]. This time the target of this suppression is the internet activist Mohammed Rashid, who was arrested for writing online about human rights abuses, spreading statements of opposition political movements, and criticizing journalists who are close to the authorities.
The BCHR has received information that the Bahraini Authorities had arrested the activist Mohammed Ali Rashid last October for exercising his legitimate right to freely express his opinions through writing on forums and popular sites like Bahrain Online and AlJazeera Talk. AlRashid is being charged with spreading false rumors and news with the intention of harming public security. He was released after around 3 months from his arrest, in January 2011 but he is prohibited from travel and the court is still considering the case where he faces a prison sentence.
Facing the likely chances of being targeted, repressed, and even detained, many Bahraini bloggers and activists usually hide their real identities and use nicknames on the national forum websites. However, this did not prevent the authorities from reaching Al-Rashid and detaining him. Furthermore, it is evident from the prosecution files that the public prosecution are relying on the investigation conducted by the security authorities, the information was used word by word even containing the same spelling mistakes.
Regarding freedom of the internet, Bahrain has been ranked as one of the countries under surveillance, which is the rank proceeding the countries enemies to the internet. Bahrain’s status has also been categorized for the second consecutive year (2009, 2010) as Not Free on the ranking of Freedom House. Two of the top bloggers in Bahrain, academic AbdulJalil Al-Singaise, and blogger Ali Abdul-Imam, are detained and being tried under the terrorism act due to their electronic, social and political activity. The BCHR believes that the internet has played an important role in previous years by providing a new method for the freedom of expression and opinion, it has actually become the primary method used to report human rights abuses to the outside world, especially when it comes to the cases that the local media would not dare cover.
The BCHR believes that detaining and criminalizing activist for writing about human rights conditions in the country is a flagrant violation of all international treatise and conventions on human rights. Specifically article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which states that “Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any other media of his choice.” This campaign, that is being led by the Bahraini authorities against bloggers and activists, contradicts Bahrain’s status as a member in the Human Rights Council, and their continued claims of respecting the freedom of opinion and expression.
The BCHR renews its call to the Bahraini authorities and to national and international organizations for:
– The immediate release of all detainees who are being tried in cases related to the freedom of opinion and expression
– Abandoning all actions that restrict freedom of opinion and expression or prevent the transmission of information.
– Respecting all forms of freedom of expression as stated in the international covenants and treaties.
– Amending Press law no. 47 of 2002 in line with international standards of human rights and to stop trying bloggers under the terrorism act.
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[1]Under the pretext of “inciting hatred against the regime”: The criminalization of freedom of opinion & expression continues
