IFEX – News from the international freedom of expression community -ALERT – BAHRAIN
27 October 2006
Website blocked one month ahead of parliamentary elections
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an abridged, translated version of an RSF
alert:
On 26 October 2006, access to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) website (http://www.bahrainrights.org ) was blocked by Batelco, Bahrain’s main Internet service provider (ISP). This action may be linked to the website’s coverage of “Bandargate”, a political scandal involving the royal family and several Bahraini politicians.
IFEX – News from the international freedom of expression community -ALERT – BAHRAIN
27 October 2006
Website blocked one month ahead of parliamentary elections
SOURCE: Reporters sans frontières (RSF), Paris
(RSF/IFEX) – The following is an abridged, translated version of an RSF
alert:
On 26 October 2006, access to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) website (http://www.bahrainrights.org ) was blocked by Batelco, Bahrain’s main Internet service provider (ISP). This action may be linked to the website’s coverage of “Bandargate”, a political scandal involving the royal family and several Bahraini politicians.
In March 2006, the Social Development Ministry threatened the directors of BCHR with disciplinary action if they did not stop their activities. The Cassation Court had ordered the center’s closure on 22 February. Members of the organisation currently risk a prison sentence of up to six months and a 500 BD (approx. 1,045 euro) fine.
The vice-president of BCHR, Abd al-Hadi al-Khawaja, was arrested in September 2004 after publishing an article in which he criticized Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa al-Khalifa and denounced the country’s economic problems (see IFEX alert of 29 September 2004).
The BCHR is a non-governmental organization that promotes human rights in Bahrain. Its 26 founding members are doctors, lawyers and journalists. Abdulhadi
Alkhawaja is the organisation’s current president.
Seven other information and discussion websites have also been blocked in
Bahrain by Batelco: http://www.montadayat.org – http://shaheedbh.com –
http://www.ahraralbahrain.com – http://www.bahraintimes.org –
http://www.alsaheefa.net – http://www.tubli.net – http://www.rezgar.com
In RSF’s latest ranking of press freedom, Bahrein was ranked 111th out of 168 countries.
For further information, contact Julien Pain, RSF Internet Desk, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33 1 44 83 84 71, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: internet@rsf.org, Internet: http://www.internet.rsf.org
The information contained in this alert is the sole responsibility of RSF.
In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit RSF.
_________________________________________________________
DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE
555 Richmond St. West, # 1101, PO Box 407
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 3B1
tel: +1 416 515 9622 fax: +1 416 515 7879
alerts e-mail: alerts@ifex.org general e-mail: ifex@ifex.org
Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/
lerte de l’IFEX du 29 septembre 2004).
