The Arabic Network Condemns Targeting Internet Activists in The Kingdom.
Cairo, April 2nd , 2011
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information today condemned the unfair security crackdown on Bahraini political dissidents starting mid March .The government started targeting Internet activists in an attempt to conceal abuses against pro-democratic reform callers. Security services have in the past few days detained many Internet activists, Mahmoud elYoussef , one of the most prominent bloggers, the internet activist Sana Abdul Razak and the poet Ayat elKormozi. They were all arrested last Wednesday , however the release of elYoussef was reported hours ago while Sana and Ayat are still in arbitrary detention.
The Arabic Network Condemns Targeting Internet Activists in The Kingdom.
Cairo, April 2nd , 2011
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information today condemned the unfair security crackdown on Bahraini political dissidents starting mid March .The government started targeting Internet activists in an attempt to conceal abuses against pro-democratic reform callers. Security services have in the past few days detained many Internet activists, Mahmoud elYoussef , one of the most prominent bloggers, the internet activist Sana Abdul Razak and the poet Ayat elKormozi. They were all arrested last Wednesday , however the release of elYoussef was reported hours ago while Sana and Ayat are still in arbitrary detention.
Bahraini government has revoked licenses of 2 Connect for Internet services owned by Ibrahim Sharif president of alWaad party on 21st March, several days after his arrest for participating in peaceful protests.
The internet activist Mohammed Rashed Ali was detained in October 2010 for publishing violations of human rights in Bahrain on the internet. This came after the arrest of two of the most prominent bloggers in Bahrain, Abdul Jalil Singace, who was arrested on August 13th , 2010 and Ali Abdul Imam who was arrested early September 2010. Both were released among the accused in the fabricated case of terrorism.
The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information, “ Bahraini government has proved not being serious in conducting political dialogue with dissent, since they chose the security solution, rather than political reform! They called opposition to accept the dialogue and at the same time launched an arrest campaign against Internet activists. This weakened the opposition trust in Bahraini authorities and renders constructive political dialogue almost impossible. The government has to release all dissidents and Internet activists who were arrested on the background of their views”.
“Targeting of bloggers and Internet activists in Bahrain is systematic and has started before the recent protests of mid February 2011. Bahraini authorities used excessive force to suppress the protests with the help of alJazeera shield forces. Bahrain had witnessed a similar crackdown on dissent before the previous parliamentary elections last October, during which several bloggers and Internet activists were including Singace and Abdul-Imam,” added The Arabic Network.