Bahrain’s King Hamad, high on powerful narcotic says, “We don’t have aristocracy in Bahrain; we are all commoners.”

“We don’t have aristocracy in Bahrain; we are all commoners.”: In an interview with Souad Mekhennet, a 2013 Harvard Nieman fellow, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa reaffirmed his commitment to reform, stating, “I myself want change, maybe more than anyone.” He acknowledged that “it is fine to disagree with the government,” but the only way to do so is through “dialogue.” When asked if the protests throughout the country were terrorist acts, however, he stated “Yes, of course.” King Hamad later professed his desire for “a free and ethical media,” and announced that Bahrain is “going to establish a council… with members from all stakeholders of society,” and that “this council will set the policy for the media.” Mekhennet then brought up allegations of journalists being denied visas, which the King denied. Throughout the interview, King Hamad reassured Mekhennet that Bahrain was on the path to reform: “no one in Bahrain is prosecuted for their opinions,” he said, and stated “Bahrain is a constitutional monarchy… Democratic constitutional institutions are already in practice.” He pointed out, “This is not an absolute monarchy here like in some ancient times in France or Britain,” and in response to whether the royal family dominates key government positions, the King claimed, “We don’t have aristocracy in Bahrain; we are all commoners.” He later compared the parliamentary system in Bahrain to the legislative branch in the U.S. and concluded the interview by pointing out that the U.S. has human rights problems too, and so, “Bahrain is like the U.S. and other countries; this is in an ongoing process.” …more