Bahrain regime continues to target freedom of expression by taking journalists and photographers to trials that criminalize their exercise of that freedom

Bahrain regime continues to target freedom of expression by taking journalists and photographers to trials that criminalize their exercise of that freedom
October 14, 2011 – BCHR

Trials of journalists as a punishment for publishing facts or expressing their opinions, confirms lack of seriousness of the Bahraini regime in reconciliation and the reform of the political situation in the country

BCHR appeals to conscience to condemn the repression and intimidation campaigns and save the freedom of expression in Bahrain

The Bahrain Center for Human Rights expresses concern for the continuation of the Bahraini authorities in its campaign against media professionals, journalists, photographers and practitioners of freedom of expression, after months of being subjected to campaigns of arrest, dismissal from work, and torture in detention centers since February and March, as many of them started, during these days, receiving summons to appear before the judiciary in the criminal courts in a move aimed directly to criminalize their exercise of a fundamental right to freedom of expression which is guaranteed by charters of human rights, and threatened by these trials to undergo imprisonment if convicted.

Bahrain Center for Human Rights came to know that four of the photographers who were arrested in the past months had been summoned to attend the trials in the Criminal Court on charges related to taking pictures of events and demonstrations, posted on the Internet and social networking site “Facebook”, and participating in peaceful demonstrations that have been described as un licensed gatherings. Of these photographers was Mohamed AlSheikh – head of Bahrain Photographers Society – under construction – who won several international awards [1] in photography, and was arrested and detained between May 9, 2011 to July 2, 2011, and subjected to torture in detention centers, especially in the center of West Riffa, where he was arrested, and was blindfolded, beaten on the face, and kicked in the abdomen and the back and hit on the feet with plastic hose, was beaten on the knees until he suffered from difficulty standing, was hit with cable on the back, was deprived from food and drink and going to the toilet in the first 33 hours following his arrest until he signed premade confessions. He was subjected to further beatings after being transferred to AlQudaibiya center for five days and was threatened that his wife and family will be harmed. His photographing tools and professional cameras and computers with estimated value of more than BD 5500, were confiscated at the time of his arrest, and were not returned to him after his release.

Mohammed AlSheikh has been brought before military court in June 28, 2011 without informing his lawyer or his family, and was charged with several charges, before being released on July 2, 2011. But he received a new summon few days ago to appear before the Criminal Court on October 23, 2011 on charges related to “participation and filming unlicensed marches and incitement to hatred of the regime by broadcasting fake pictures detrimental to the Kingdom of Bahrain over the Internet and Facebook and foreign agencies..” AlSheikh was dismissed from his job earlier in the Aluminum Bahrain Company (ALBA), where he worked as an engineer. His dismissal came as part of the dismissal campaign which targeted workers supporting the popular pro-reform movement. His name and picture was published last April in pro-government forums demanding his arrest. [2] . …more