Pakistani Veterans Beef Up Bahrain Security Forces
by Gary Thomas – VOA – August 18, 2011

Pakistan’s president, Asif Ali Zardari, made a one-day visit to the Middle East kingdom of Bahrain this week. Substantive details of his meetings with King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa were not made public. But Bahrain has been gripped by anti-government protests, part of the “Arab Spring” sweeping across the region. The Bahraini government has been soliciting help from Pakistan to put down demonstrations.

According to analysts and Bahraini human rights activists, Bahrain’s government has been recruiting former soldiers and policemen from Pakistan at a steady rate to bolster the security forces.

Former CIA officer Bruce Riedel, who has extensive experience in South Asia, says Bahrain has been recruiting Pakistani veterans for decades. But he says the eruption of the pro-democracy demonstrations in the Gulf state in March has sparked a sharp increase in the recruiting.

“This winter, when the very serious demonstrations began and it looked like the regime might even be toppled at a certain point, their hiring of mercenaries went up substantially,” said Riedel. “And they began sending out basically want ads in major Pakistani newspapers advertising well-paying jobs in the Bahraini police and the Bahraini National Guard for any experienced soldier or policeman in Pakistan.”

The ads placed in Pakistani newspapers call for ex-riot police and riot control instructors, military police, non-commissioned officers, and other military and security specialists – as well as cooks and mess hall waiters – for the Bahrain National Guard. The ads were placed by the Fauji Foundation, an organization set up to help veterans and their families. Calls to the foundation seeking comment were not returned. …more

BICI Reiterates Position on Recent Events

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI) has been following the information being circulated about its work and the statements attributed to its Chairperson Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni in the local Bahraini and international press. Because this information is either inaccurate or baseless, the BICI is compelled to issue the following statement.

The BICI denies the report being circulated on some electronic social media platforms that its Chairperson or any of its members have resigned their positions. All the members of the Commission continue to discharge their duties. The Commissioners are studying and analyzing the increasingly large amounts of evidence being gathered by its investigators for the preparation of BICI’s final report due on October 30th 2011. …more bullshit

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights – “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers”.

Police summon Nabeel Rajab for publishing wrong information
August 19, 2011

MOI: The Director-General of the Northern Governorate Police announced on Friday that it had summoned Nabeel Rajab under a warrant at 8:30pm on that day for publishing and disseminating incorrect news and information through his social media website. He said Rajab had done so in an inciting manner that was likely to disturb public security, promote fear, affect general interests and humiliate public authorities.

The Director-General said that Rajab was instructed to remain committed to facts while exercising his freedom of expression, which was a right protected under the Constitution. He said Rajab was also instructed to follow legal regulations, while a report of procedures taken was prepared.

The Director-General said that the use of social media networks should be within the legal framework and for general interest, as violations could pose a threat to civil peace. …source

Statement of the Bahrain Ministry of Interior on the Questioning of Nabeel Rajab

MANAMA, Bahrain, Aug. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — On the evening of August 19, 2011, the General Director of the Northern Governorate Police in Bahrain announced that Mr. Nabeel Rajab had been summoned for routine questioning about false and potentially incendiary information being conveyed through his website in social media. Mr. Rajab was summoned openly and in full accordance with Bahraini law. He was not arrested or detained, and he left the police offices within one hour.

The government of Bahrain has become increasingly concerned that unconfirmed and potentially incendiary information could incite fear and anger that might lead to public disturbances and even violence.

The government of Bahrain supports the freedom of its citizens to express their political opinions and acknowledges that opinions from many different individuals and groups can play a positive role in the national reconciliation process. The government, however, is deeply concerned that unconfirmed rumors or incendiary information issued by any well-known organization or individual could create a dangerous situation in which lives and property are placed at risk.

SOURCE Bahrain Ministry of Interior

German Empire (1871-1918)

With the outbreak of World War I, the military took over the censorship office with the aim of mobilizing German support for the war. A police official was instated in every city for this purpose. Restrictions on materials became much harsher. Materials could be banned because of association with a particular person or country, or simply because the censor felt that the piece was distracting or a waste of time.

Censorship in Nazi Germany

Censorship in Nazi Germany was implemented by the Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels. All media — literature, music, newspapers, and public events—were censored. Attempts were also made to censor private communications, such as mail and even private conversation, with mixed results.

The aim of censorship under the Nazi regime was simple: to reinforce Nazi power and to suppress opposing viewpoints and information. Punishments ranged from banning of presentation and publishing of works to deportation, imprisonment, or even execution in a concentration camp. …source