Journalist harassed after press briefing in Bahrain – al Khalifa’s acts of desperation and fear of impending loss of power

Journalist harassed after press briefing in Bahrain
Posted on 2011/07/17

Following a press briefing organised by the Irish delegation of medical, political and human rights figures at the end of their visit to Bahrain on 14 July 2011 the journalist Ms Reem Khalifa was surrounded by pro-Government protesters and abused and harassed. The protesters then called the police and claimed one of their number had been struck on the jaw. Eye witnesses to the encounter have testified that no person was struck and that it was Ms Reem Khalifa who was the victim of harassment and that she then walked away from the confrontation in the hotel lobby.

The Irish delegation press briefing had been disrupted by a small group of women who shouted repeatedly. Delegation members were interviewed by a number of journalists including Reem Khalifa at the end of the briefing. When Reem Khalifa went to exit through the lobby of the Ramada Palace Hotel she was surrounded by a small group of women who shouted abuse at her, seemingly because she had been undertaking her legitimate journalistic activity and interviewing members of the delegation. …more