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BPA: Journalism and media Status in Bahrain over 2011

by Courtesy

BPA: Journalism and media Status in Bahrain over 2011
31 December, 2011 – BCHR

Bahrain Press Association

– More than 135 journalists and media professionals were subject to violations and harassment
– The BICI acknowledges the deaths of two media professionals, torturing of journalists, and vandalizing Al Wasat Daily Newspaper
– The authorities took no initiative to remedy the trespasses and violations as evidenced by the BICI report
– Journalists and photographers lawsuits unknown; Abdul Emam, Al Sangice, and Ma’atook face abusive political sentences

London, 31/12/2011: The year 2011 was not a cheerful year for journalists and media professionals in Bahrain as they wrap it with great sorrow and grief for the regim-led violations and trespasses. Such wrongdoings resulted into the murdering of two media professionals (Publisher Kareem Fakhrawi and Bolgger Zakaryia Al Asheeri) while they were kept in custody. Tens of journalists and media professionals were subjected to arrest and dismissal and were abused by torture and cruel treatment in the detention houses managed by the Ministry of Interior, Bahrain Defence Force, or The National Guards.

The Report issued by the Bahrain Independent Commission Inquiry (BICI), established pursuant to a Royal Decree on June 29, 2011 to investigate and report on the events occurred in Bahrain in the months of February and March 2011 and the consequences of such events, acknowledges, in the chapter pertaining to media violations, the several violations and crimes against media professionals and journalists in Bahrain including, among other things, the killing of Zakariya Al Asheeri on April 9 and Kareem Fakhrawi on April 12; the arrests; the torturing; and the mass dismissals. The Report, publically known as ‘Bassiouni’s Report’, released late in November also acknowledges the violations committed by the state-run media outlets that were biased and incited hatered as per sectarian basis. The Report also made mention to the state attempt to control the daily newspapers and direct them politically towards its agenda. The Report has certified the targeting of Al Wasat Daily Newspaper which is the only independent daily among other papers. Shockingly, the Bahraini judiciary has through its criminal court fined on October 11, 2011 as per the case suited against Al Wasat’s editor-in-chief Dr. Mansoor Al Jamri; Waleed Nawihadh, the managing editor; Ali Al Shareefi, the editing secretary; and the local news head, Aqeel Mirza. The BPA then described the fines as an escape of acquittal not to declare the journalists innocence of fabricated accusations. …more