BAHRAIN: PERSISTENCE TO THE USE OF FORCE TO BAN FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
http://www.haaq.org/en-US/42/ViewNews/37/116/Default.aspx
For three weeks in a row, the Bahraini Authorities have extensively deployed its Special Security Forces (SSF) to ban public from exercising its rights for freedom of expression. The SSF have been used to enforce or prevent violation of Code 32 of 2006 concerning “Public Gatherings, Processions and Assembly” [1] which is an amendment of Decree no 18 of 1973 [2]. Local civic societies [3] as well as internationally renowned organizations [4], showed deep concerns over the implementation of this law which extradites all forms of expression and protest in violation to Universal Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
BAHRAIN: PERSISTENCE TO THE USE OF FORCE TO BAN FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
http://www.haaq.org/en-US/42/ViewNews/37/116/Default.aspx
For three weeks in a row, the Bahraini Authorities have extensively deployed its Special Security Forces (SSF) to ban public from exercising its rights for freedom of expression. The SSF have been used to enforce or prevent violation of Code 32 of 2006 concerning “Public Gatherings, Processions and Assembly” [1] which is an amendment of Decree no 18 of 1973 [2]. Local civic societies [3] as well as internationally renowned organizations [4], showed deep concerns over the implementation of this law which extradites all forms of expression and protest in violation to Universal Declaration and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
· On Friday September 15th , the SSF blocked all entries to Sanabis village and surrounded the building where HAQ will hold a public seminar about the submission of the constitutional petition to UN last month. The Authorities claim that authorization to the seminar inside that building in Sanabis was not granted so it was illegal. With the police helicopter whirling overhead, the presence of SSF in the middle of the village, about four hours prior to the event, was intimidating to the citizens. People from neighbouring villages hurried to the venue as they heard about the situation which became very tense [5]. HAQ management intervened before any physical clashes and declared the postponement of the seminar [6].
· On Friday September 22nd and with the aid of the police helicopter, the Bahraini SSF attacked people attending the public seminar organized by HAQ [7], without communicating with the organizers or presenting any form of warning. The Authorities justified its act by stating that this is an unauthorized gathering, as per the new Gatherings Code, and that they intervened to prevent violation of the law. About two hours prior to the beginning of the event, hundreds of heavily armed SSF seized the venue of the seminar in Bilad Al-Qadeem, and prevented people from coming closer. Many men and women injuries were reported, as well as cases of suffocation due to intensive use of tear gas, which some its empty canisters showing expiry dates.
· On yesterday, Friday September 29 th, the SSF have been deployed again to prevent a peaceful demonstration from going ahead on its scheduled route to protest on the State current known scheme of naturalization [8]. With the help of police helicopter, major accesses to one of major trade areas in Manama- Seef – were sealed off using heavily armed SSF and barbed wires. The organizers – a civic commission on the combat of “political naturalization in Bahrain”- cancelled the demonstration after moving few meters from its start, and requested for immediate disperse. Subsequently, small clashes occurred between some protesters and the SSF without any report of injuries. The Bahraini Authorities attributed their use of force towards the demonstration to ensure the implementation of the Gatherings Code which grants the Authorities the right to alter and impose a route different than that proposed by the organizers of an authorized demonstration.
Remarks:
· The act of the Bahraini Authorities has proven to be systematic to curtail all forms of unwanted or unauthorized expression and/or protest. The Authorities attributes its acts enforcing compliance with the Code 32 of 2006 concerning “Public Gatherings, Processions and Assembly”.
· In the three above peaceful events, the Authorities excessively used force so that to prevent the said code from being violated, which is against all norms. Should any party violates any law, even if the later has no legitimacy, legal means, not force, is the known procedure to bring violators to justice. Such attitude by the Authorities affirms the objective of terrorizing activists and citizens in order to effectively ban any form of unwanted expression, had it been a public seminar or demonstration.
· With the aid of State controlled media, the acts of the Bahraini Authorities towards the exercise of the civic societies for the freedom of expression is becoming systematic and prejudice to true nongovernmental organizations (NGO’s).
· The acts of the Bahraini Authorities is in direct breach to the articulations of Universal Declaration as well as to that of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which has been acceded by Bahrain on September 20th, 2006. In particular, it is contrast to Article of 21 of ICCPR which states that ” The right of peaceful assembly shall be recognized. No restrictions may be placed on the exercise of this right other than those imposed in conformity with the law and which are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order (ordre public), the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others”.
· In the light of persistence of the Bahraini Authorities to curtail freedom of expression and enforce State censorship, it is becoming necessary, more than ever, to make a universal call to the new UNHRC to review the human record of Bahrain- one of its members.
For more related information:
– http://www.haaq.org/en-US/42/ViewNews/37/115/Default.aspx
– http://www.haaq.org/en-US/42/ViewNews/37/114/Default.aspx
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[1] http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/htm/K3206.htm
[2] http://www.legalaffairs.gov.bh/htm/L1873.htm
[3] www.alwasatnews.com/view.asp?tID=101667 , www.alwaqt.com/art.php?aid=3165
[4] http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/08/bahrai13531_txt.htm , http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/06/08/bahrai13529.htm , http://web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGMDE110012006?open&of=ENG-BHR , http://www.article19.org/pdfs/analysis/bahrain-letter-to-shoura-council.pdf#search=%22gatherings%20code%20Bahrain%22
[5] http://www.almeethaq.net/Liveweb/archive/news/20060916/pdf/page05.pdf
[6] http://www.alwaqt.com/art.php?aid=17260, ALWAQT_issue_208_section_alwaqt_page_2[1].pdf
[7] http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/arc_Articles.asp?Article=156602&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29188
[8]aawsat.com/english/news.asp?section=1&id=6549 , www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=157128&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=29194
