Thank you for condolences شكرا على تعاز

في مصيبة رحيل والدي الحاج حسن عبدالله عبدالامام
شكرا لكل من واسانا في مصابنا، سواء عبر الحضور ، أو عبر الاتصال او البرق

شكرا للجميع على جميل مواساتهم، وجميل تعازيهم، لا أراكم الله مكروه في عزيز لديكم

In our big lost of my father Haj Hasan Abdulla Abdulemam

i would like to thank all of the supporter either by coming or calling ot teleghram

Thank you all for your nice condolences, wish you all the happiness

Thanks

If Shara spoke, all eats hay

yesterday the superme leader khamenei spoke about the situation in Iran, and he got the final speech in Iran, he got the politic power and the Religious power, so he could just shut the states quite, no more protest or demonestrates, he just got the final speech, the last speech, no one inside iran can do any thing after his speech, wow, how come we still have such strong people and they can by one speech points his finger to where the things should it go, and it goes?

we have this idiom in Arab region if shara spoke, all of us should eats hay, its just to explain how shara is strong, and shara is the holy things they think its comes from God, and yesterday speech, was having that frame, it came from the superme leader in religious, it was coming from the biggest leader not only in Iran, in all shiite , he got the majority,

but my qustion is, is that the way we solve the issues? we have people demanding, people asking for what they think its their right, and we just shut them by these two powers? we don't set and talk, have some chat about the real issue, instead of blocking social networks web sites, blocking the blogs, SMS not working, Telephone is almost censored and mostely not working, BBC persian not working, other channels not working, Internet is too slow and very censored, forigens media not allow to work inside Iran, instead of having all of this, can't we just admit we have a problem and there is some thing wrong in this Iran so we need to find out whats people demands and what is people qustions, either we can answer them , obey then, or we can just talk with them, people wants some one to talk with them, i mean talk with them not talk to them, i mean some one get in to dialogue with them not giving order to them?

this kind of speech if its success now to shut things down in iran, it might not be applicable or acceptable for the next election

i hope that i will not be classified one of agents who works for USA or UK or worst Israel, but, this is the way i am thinking dear superme leader, and i like it this way, sorry i know you are waley elfaqeeh, but, i believe that welayat faqeeh is human thought not god verses and i don''t believe in it

Rafsanjani no in Iran now, he is in Iraq

If i hate some one in the power in Iran so i hate Rafsanjani, yes i hate him, and i think what ever najad said about him is true and what ever hidden is more, but, still i am supporting mosavi,

the News coming from special sources that Rafsanjani is NOT IN IRAN, HE IS IN IRAQ

Waiting for confirmation from the media

Khamenei, They love their country

Todays superme leader Khamenei speech, was clear about one point that i used to talk with my friends about it when we were talking about the situation in Iran as they were insist to use the power to crack down the protest and end it in the street while i was telling, they are 33 % of the voters so they have the right to protest and to loude their demands, today Khamenei telling directely all of the candidators loved iran and they tried to built up iran in different way, but they are building the same regime not different one

and i hope the paseej and pasdaran will know this from there leader that those protesters in the street are iranian, they love Iran and they are not peace of shit you need to get ride of it, they are IRANIAN
about changing the regime, khamenei said that using the street is not acceptable, and i can understand why he did said that, but i believe, people have the right to change their regime if they like to do, its all the people decision not the leaders

again
we are watching, is khamenei going to end every thing in the street, lets see

Iran election, from Bahraini perspective

At the begining let say that having this election in one of our neighbour is something we should care about it because we don't have that much freedom, or less than that also

i watch the news, blogs, twitter, facebook, all the citizen media type during the last week in addition to the tradition media like alaalm TV and wanna compare my experience and thought with what is going on in Iran

first when i was watching alaalm, i felt that i am watching Bahrain TV , all the opposition are linked to forignes , they are not loyal, no permession for the opposition protest but for Najad its published in TV as the background during the news programmes, i didn't see any different between this totalirsm regime and our, both are using the same tools to prove for themself that we have the majority and the others even if they are 33% have nothing, have no access to the regime media, have no right to protest, have no right to loud their voice, this is not freedom kingdom this totalirism regime

Iran blocked facebook, twitter, sms yahoo, blogs, all the ports that citizens media wants to talk throught as the tradition media is not accessible for them, and why is that? they don't have the right to talk? to show the rest of word thier is something different in this country? their is something wrong with this kindom? and why these systems afraid for other voice to be heard? i don't know

Najads speech when he was saying that you broke the forignes planes and those are BAD, he was talking about whom? about 13 milions vote to Mosavi? he was talking about 33% from the voices they are agents for USA and Israel? is this is a speech for the coming presedent? instead of offering sharing power with this 33 % he is deleting them from the formula? this is not human freedom? this is Najad view and not linked to any human perspective

The crazy again in power

With all respect to the reader who is supporting Najad, i mean no harm with this, but i used to call Ahmedi Najad the crazy, even when i was in Iran talking with my cousins while we are talking about his politic, i used to call him crazy so i mean no harm to all of you.

honestly i was supporting mir hussain mosavi because i feel Iran will need a presedent like Khatami, more freedom, more respect, freedom of choices to be made, not force to ? this is what i believe not in iran only but in every where in the world, but at the end, we are not iranian, we have to respect this crazy when he come to the power and we have to deal with him for the next four years

I was following the election by persian blogs, thanks god i know persian so it was easy for me , the strange things i discovered is, Najad failed in economic area, and its reflecting the poor people which is the majority in Iran, but the poor majority didn't talk about economy as its one of their criterias , these were talking that Najad is clean, we need to vote for clean people, cause god ask us to do so, wow, gods with you Crazy najad

I am very disappointed today and i might switch my telephone off because i don't want any one to make fun of me

nice pic from karzakan - Bahrain

This pic was shoot yesterday in Karzakan when the news said, Karzakan's prisoners and Mameer's will not be released as the deal between the regime and the oppositions after the meeting with the ministry of interior, who confirmed that they will take them to the court, so we are back again to square number 1, but i am not talking about this, i am talking about this pic which is shoot by AP reporter , and all the local news agencies didn't publish this picture, as my friends always say, we don't have media in Bahrain.

Obama speachs : Out Work

as a member of www.america.gov to receive SMS about Obamas speach in Cairo univisity he said one word that should be highlighted
The people of the world can live together in peace. we know that is god's vision. now, that must be our work
i have to say that i like the way that Obama is dealing with media and not depending on traditional media, he sent his broadcast video message to Iran by Youtube, and now he is using most of the web 2.0 tools to broadcast his spech, facebook, youtube live, twitter, blog, ,, etc

its our time to work for all of the people to live together, but the big workload is not on our heads, its on the decesion makers who sould believe in this world

Obama your speach shouldn't be addressed to us, it should be addressed to those leaders in arabic regimes who your state is supporting them to do what they are doing to us

Thanks Obama, i really like you and like your speek but, its not to us, please addresse it in your private meetings

Emerging Technologies and Web 2.0

Thanks for IREX invitation to particepate in Online Writers and Mainstream Media in the Gulf conference, i was asked to give a presentation about using the Web2.0 application in the media, attached is my presentation , i have to admit that during my research i learned alot as this is the first time for me to give a technical presentation and i was afraid that i am not going to success in it but thanks god the response i got was more than my expectation

but at the end, in each conference i am attending i still feel that there is a big distance for us to get our dreams, still the borders and situations are very diffecult

Blogging for a cause: I support Global Voices Advocacy

As a part and writer of Global Voices Advocacy i would like to support Advocacy with Zemanta blogging for a cause, advoxy is a part of global voices online project which is taking care of freedom of expression and supporting our right to speek and express our feeling , i would like to encourage all of the blogger to support advoxy to get Zemanta

This blog post is part of Zemanta's "Blogging For a Cause" campaign to raise awareness and funds for worthy causes that bloggers care about.

this video explain why Al Ahli club banned and Punished

This video explain why Al Ahli Club Punished and banned from out side Bahrain contribute for Asian Champions

this is getting hot issue in Bahrain these days due to this stupid things called shiite and sunni, and again this country can't take any thing with out dealing with it from the political view and Sectarian

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfQb3NOPAXM

Basketball match between Sunni and shiite

Last night it was a basketball match between Al Ahli club and Muharraq Club, the winner will be the hero, all tickets sold after 30 mint from opening the box office, why is that

its clearly that Al Ahli fans from Shiite and Muharraq fans from Sunni, and since long time the celebrate from Al Ahli fans was including the name of Khomaini, and also its known as match between Sunni and Shiite, this is the mentality we are living with it here in Bahrain, beside if it was with Manama then it will be between Arab and Persian . we are always thinking of our roots, where we come from like this will lead us to some where

because Al Ahli was prepaired to celebrate with the name of Khomaini again because they want to demonestrate their feeling, and their identity so they sport union in Bahrain announce that Al Ahli will pay 4000 BD , plus its not allowed to play out side Bahrain, plus the fans not allowed to support their team for the next season

we can understand that fans are emotionaly act last time, and they may did mistakes, but, what we can't understand is if the union bring its nose to this and take this action like they just want to prove we are here, and those union didn't see all the other mistakes by other fans, its just showing another way of Discrimination againest Shiite , and they are telling us we are equal but we don't see that equal and we are sick of complex of trust between us and the regime?

ok, we have a politic problem with the regime, and we have security issue, we have other issues, but please, for god sake, keep other things clean from your touch

He is not mistaken

Based on BNA, A statement by the ministry of interior he said " those arrested who will be free tomorrow , they should respect those Mediations who asked to free them and never return back to what they use to do"

that speech is coming from the mentality that i am not mistaken what ever is going to happen, this man knew clearly about taken Mushamea for dialogue regard security situation and he insist that those people still guilty, and his speech actually will not help this island to move forward while such mentality still in the power, they should be removed and bring reform mentality to help this island, if their is a real wish for the reform

This Island deserve to smile

Last night it was one of the nights i missed, i do remember 1995, i do remember 2001, i do remember 2004, and i will remember 2009, still, since long time back we have this demands for reform, and replying to that we have security situation, and yet we will celebrating nights, the same style of celebrating every times, but at the end, this island deserve to smile.

We all happy because of what happen, no matter what is the things behind it, the most important is we love this island, we want the real reform for this island, so we shouldn't be in the prison because of our love, but those cheaters should be.

last night, you can see dramatic act from people who are happy, young is dancing, others in the cars, women watching, but what is toke my heart is, an old women maybe 50s or more, she was Clapping her hands in the road, she toke some roses from the road, through them on faces, and she had the rest in my face and my car, i will not forget this women, i will not through that rose

TRA busy in protecting regime but not protecting customers

As most of you heard that TRA ( Telecommunication Regulation Authority) announce that all the telecommunication companies should provide an open port for the national security to watch, monitor any call, net surf , sms ,,, etc TRA is really busy with this because they want to protect the regime and we have no problem with this, but can we just ask where is the TRA in protecting the customer away from its war with BATELCO ? why we are still receiving junk SMS, to whom should we complain? and what is that clear procedure should protect us and we can follow it to be value customer?
instead of being busy with stupid war with batelco, can the TRA issue a new role for the telecommunication for them to avoid receiving such junk SMS

لجنة حماية الصحفيين قلقة إزاء حملة التضييق التي تقودها البحرين ضد مواقع الإنترنت

Committee to Protect Journalists

330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465‑1004 Fax: (212) 465‑9568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org

Contacts:

Mohamed Abdel Dayem, program coordinator

Phone: (212) 465-1004, x103; E-mail: m.abdel.dayem@cpj.org

Mariwan Hama-Saeed, research associate

Phone: (212) 465-1004, x104; E-mail: mariwan@cpj.org

لجنة حماية الصحفيين قلقة إزاء حملة التضييق التي تقودها البحرين ضد مواقع الإنترنت

7-أبريل/نيسان-2009

صاحب الجلالة الشيخ حمد بن عيسى آل خليفة

ملك البحرين

عناية سفارة مملكة البحرين

3502 International Drive, NW

Washington, D.C. 20008

عبر الفاكس: 2192-362-202

صاحب الجلالة،

تكتب لجنة حماية الصحفيين لجلالتكم احتجاجا على تدهور حرية الصحافة مؤخرا في البحرين وعلى الحملة الجارية التي تشنها حكومتكم ضد المواقع الإلكترونية والمدونات الناقدة أو المعارِضة. وقد نجم عن حملة التضييق ضد هذه المواقع حجب العشرات منها داخل المملكة، وفقا لما أفادته منظمات محلية ودولية معنية برصد حقوق الانسان وحرية الصحافة.

وتعرب لجنة حماية الصحفيين عن قلقها إزاء الحملة التي تستهدف المواقع الإلكترونية المستقلة أو الناقدة التي تتناول القضايا الاجتماعية والسياسية وقضايا حقوق الإنسان، ولا سيما على خلفية تصاعد حملة التضييق على الناشطين ورموز المعارضة والمدافعين عن حقوق الإنسان من الشيعة. وفي كانون الثاني/ يناير، نشرت وسائل الإعلام المحلية القرار الوزاري رقم 1 / 2009 الصادر عن وزيرة الثقافة والإعلام الشيخة مي بنت محمد آل خليفة الموجه لشركات الاتصالات والقاضي بحجب مواقع إلكترونية معينة دون سابق إنذار ودون إبداء أسباب محددة. وعلى إثر ذلك حُجبت عشرات المدونات والمنتديات والمواقع الإلكترونية التابعة لجماعات حقوق إنسان محلية وإقليمية.

وقد وصفت السلطات حملتها بأنها حملة ضد المواقع الإلكترونية الإباحية وغير اللائقة اجتماعيا، إلا إن ما قامت به لجنة حماية الصحفيين من بحث وتقصي يُظهر بأن مواقع العشرات من جماعات حقوق الإنسان والمدونيين المعارضين والمستقلين والمنظمات السياسية قد حُجبت في البحرين. وتنص المادة 2 من القرار بأنه "على شركات الاتصالات ومزودي خدمات الإنترنت حجب المواقع الإلكترونية الإباحية والمخلة بالآداب العامة،" ولكن المادة 1 تُلزم هذه الشركات بحجب المواقع الإلكترونية التي يصدر بشأن حجبها قرار من الوزير حتى لو لم تكن ذات طبيعة إباحية.

ويقول المدافعون عن حرية التعبير أن المدونات ومواقع الإنترنت التي تعتبرها الحكومة مصدرا للإزعاج والمضايقة كانت تحجت حتى قبل صدور هذا القرار. إلا إن لجنة حماية الصحفيين قد علمت من عدة مصادر بأن عدد المواقع المحجوبة قد شهد زيادة مطردة في الآونة الأخيرة. كما علمت من مصادر عديدة من داخل البحرين بأن وزارة الثقافة والإعلام تستخدم تكنولوجيا متطورة قادرة على فلترة كلمات معينة وحجب المواقع. وتظهر عوضا عن المواقع المحجوبة شاشة تقول: "هذا الموقع مغلق لمخالفته الأنظمة والقوانين في مملكة البحرين".

وفي 11 شباط/ فبراير، قالت وزارة الثقافة والإعلام لوكالة رويترز بأن بعض الموقع الإلكترونية قد حُجبت بسبب مشاكل فنية وإن هذا المشاكل سوف تُحل. ولكن لجنة حماية الصحفيين قد علمت من مصادر محلية بأن الدخول إلى العديد من المواقع التي حُجبت قبل 11 شباط/ فبراير لا يزال متعذرا حتى الآن.

فعلى سبيل المثال، ما زالت خدمة جوجل للترجمة محجوبة منذ ثلاثة أشهر حسبما صرحت مصادر للجنة حماية الصحفيين. أما عبد الجليل السنكيس الذي يدون على موقع alsingace.katib.org فقد أخبر لجنة حماية الصحفيين بأن مدونته حُجبت يوم 10 شباط/ فبراير بعد أن نشر عريضة لمجموعة دولية من المثقفين. وكان من جملة ما طالبت به العريضة رفع الحظر على سفر السنكيس. وقد رَحّل السنكيس كتاباته إلى موقع alsingace.blogspot.com ولكن لا يزال الدخول إلى كلتا المدونتين من داخل البحرين متعذرا حسبما صرح للجنة حماية الصحفيين. كما لا تزال مدونة محمود اليوسف المسماة، Mahmood’s Den، والتي تتناول في جملة مواضيعها القضايا السياسية والاجتماعية محجوبة منذ سنوات في داخل المملكة.

وقالت معظم المصادر للجنة حماية الصحفيين بإن المنتديات التي تناقش المسائل الثقافية أو الاجتماعية أو السياسية التي تعتبرها الحكومة حساسة هي الأكثر استهدافا على شبكة الانترنت. فقد تم حجب المنتدى السياسي "ملتقى البحرين" والمنتدى الثقافي "منتديات البحرين" والمنتدى الثقافي السياسي "الصرح الوطني". وعلاوة على ذلك، ما زالت المواقع الإلكترونية التابعة لمركز البحرين لحقوق الانسان والشبكة العربية لمعلومات حقوق الإنسان محجوبة في داخل المملكة منذ أمد بعيد. كما يتعذر الدخول لعشرات المواقع التي تقدم خدمات الخادم البديل (proxy).

وترى لجنة حماية الصحفيين بإنه لا يجب حجب المدونات والمواقع الإلكترونية تعسفيا. ففي الحالات النادرة التي يكون فيها ما يبرر حجب إحدى المواقع، يتعين على السلطات أن توضح الأسباب. وبغياب آلية كهذه، كما هو الحال الآن في البحرين، فإن السلطات تسترسل في فرض الرقابة تعسيفا على الأصوات الناقدة إذ تقوم ببساطة بحظر الوصول إليها تحت غطاء حماية الآداب العامة أو الوحدة الوطنية. ويُظهر البحث الذي أجرته لجنة حماية الصحفيين بأن ذنب الكثير من المواقع المحجوبة داخل المملكة ما هو إلا تصديها لشواغل اجتماعية أو سياسية أو ذات صلة بحقوق الإنسان من منظور نقدي. ولا يجب أن يكون هذا وحده سببا في فرض الرقابة أو الحجب.

وتتناقض هذه الأفعال المتصلة بالرقابة مع عدة أحكام في الدستور البحريني الذي يكفل الحق في حرية التعبير. كما إنها تشكل انتهاكا للعهد الدولي الخاص بالحقوق المدنية والسياسية الذي صادقت عليه البحرين في عام 2006 والذي يضمن حرية الفرد في "التماس مختلف ضروب المعلومات والأفكار وتلقيها ونقلها".

كما تودُّ لجنة حماية الصحفيين أن تلفت انتباهكم إلى دعوتين قضائيتين رفعتهما وكالات حكومية مؤخرا بحق صحفيتين مستقلتين.

مريم الشروقي، صحفية تعمل في صحيفة "الوسط" اليومية المستقلة، تمثل حاليا أمام المحكمة لكتابتها مقالا بعنوان "إعلانات حكومية زائفة" بتاريخ 27 آب/ أغسطس 2008. ويخوض المقال في قيام ديوان الخدمة المدنية بالتمييز في التوظيف فيما يُزعم أنه على أساس الانتماء الديني. وقالت الشروقي للجنة حماية الصحفيين بإن مقالتها استندت إلى مقابلات مع مصادر متعددة. ومع ذلك، وفي كانون الأول/ ديسمبر 2008، رفع ديوان الخدمة المدنية دعوى جنائية ضد الشروقي بتهمة "إهانة" الديوان. وفي مستهل الأمر واجهت الشروقي تهمتين إضافيتين هما "تلفيق الأكاذيب" و"التشهير" بديوان الخدمة المدنية، إلا إن هاتين التهمتين أُسقطتا استنادا لما قالته الشروقي للجنة حماية الصحفيين.

وتقول الشروقي بإن بعض المسؤولين المقربين من ديوان الخدمة المدنية قد أشاروا عليها بالاعتذار وكشف هوية مصادرها كي تتجنب اتخاذ إجراءات قانونية بحقها، ولكنها رفضت. ومثلت الشروقي أمام المحكمة أربع مرات حتى الآن، وقالت للجنة حماية الصحفيين إن الجلسة المقبلة للمحكمة ستعقد في 8 نيسان/ إبريل. وأفادت إنه إذا أدانتها المحكمة فسوف يتم منعها من الكتابة من الكتابة وستفرض عليها عقوبة السجن أو دفع غرامة.

وفي قضية منفصلة ومثيرة للقلق أيضا، تَمثُل لميس ضيف وهي كاتبة صحفية وصاحبة عمود في صحيفة "الوقت" اليومية الخاصة أمام المحكمة بتهمة "إهانة القضاء"، وذلك بسبب قيامها بكتابة سلسلة من خمس تحقيقات صحفية صدرت في شهر شباط/ فبراير. وتقول ضيف للجنة حماية الصحفيين بأنها قصدت من وراء السلسلة التي حملت عنوان "ملف العار الكبير" الكشف عن الفساد القضائي المزعوم. وأضافت بأن أحد المسؤولين طلب منها كتابة اعتذار أو مقال يشيد بالقضاء لتجنب مقاضاتها ولكنها رفضت.

وفي 26 شباط/ فبراير، رفع المجلس الأعلى للقضاء، وهو أعلى جهاز إداري في السلطة القضائية، دعوى جنائية ضدها. وتقول بإن مكتب المدعي العام قد استدعاها في مطلع آذار/ مارس للمثول أمام المحكمة بصفتها "مواطن عادي" لمحاكمتها بموجب قانون العقوبات البحريني بدلا من قانون الصحافة والذي يتيح لها مواجهة عقوبة أخف وطأة. ولكنها احتجت على القرار وطالبت بأن توجه إليها التهم بموجب قانون الصحافة. وقد قبل مكتب المدعي العام مطالبتها. ولا تزال القضية معلقة ولم يُحدد بعدُ تاريخ لعقد جلسة المحاكمة.

وتعتقد لجنة حماية الصحفيين بإن الدعوتين القضائيتين تتناقضان وروح الكلمة التي ألقاها صاحب السمو الشيخ خليفة بن سلمان آل خليفة رئيس وزراء مملكة البحرين في تشرين الأول/ أكتوبر 2008 والتي حث فيها وسائل الإعلام على "الاستفادة من أجواء الديموقراطية والحرية المتاحة بالمملكة" و"على ضرورة أن تكون الصحافة متحدثة صادقة باسم المجتمع البحريني تحكي واقعه اليومي المعاش وتساهم في إيجاد الحلول الناجعة لمشكلاته بحيادية وموضوعية."

ونحن وبكل تقدير نناشد جلالتكم أن تصدروا توجيهاتكم إلى وزارة الثقافة والإعلام لإلغاء القرار الوزاري القاضي بحجب المواقع الإلكترونية الناقدة. كما تدعو لجنة حماية الصحفيين جلالتكم إلى إصدار تعليماتكم للوكالات المعنية بإسقاط التهم ذات الدوافع السياسية بحق مريم الشروقي ولميس ضيف دونما تأخير.

نشكر اهتمام جلالتكم بهذه المسائل الهامة. ونتطلع إلى سماع ردكم.

مع التحية

جويل سايمون

المدير التنفيذي

تُرسل نسخة إلى:

صاحب السمو الشيخ خليفة بن سلمان آل خليفة، رئيس وزراء مملكة البحرين

الشيخة مي بنت محمد آل خليفة، وزيرة الثقافة والإعلام في البحرين

الشيخ خالد بن علي آل خليفة، وزير العدل والشؤون الإسلامية في البحرين

الشيخ خالد بن أحمد بن محمد آل خليفة، وزير الخارجية مملكة البحرين

هدى عزرا إبراهيم نونو، سفيرة مملكة البحرين لدى الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية

جيه. آدم إيرلي، سفير الولايات المتحدة لدى مملكة البحرين

عبدالرحمن بن حامد العطية، الامين العام لمجلس تعاون لدول الخليج العربية

عمر موسى، الامين العام لجامعة دول العربية

نبيل رجب، مركز بحرين لحقوق الانسان

عيسى الشايجي، جمعية الصحفيين البحرينية

مبادرة الشبكة المفتوحة

مبادرة الشبكة العالمية

كارين ب. ستيوارت القائمة بأعمال مساعد وزيرة الخارجية الأمريكية لشؤون الديمقراطية وحقوق الإنسان والعمل

الجمعية الأمريكية لمحرري الصحف

منظمة العفو الدولية

منظمة المادة 19 (المملكة المتحدة)

صحفيون كنديون لحرية التعبير

قسم حرية التعبير والديمقراطية في اليونسكو

ملتقى الحرية

فريدوم هاوس

هيومن رايتس ووتش

مؤشر الرقابة

المركز الدولي للصحفيين

الاتحاد الدولي للصحفيين

نادي القلم الدولي

المعهد الدولي للصحافة

رابطة الصحف

اتحاد وسائل البث في أمريكا الشمالية

نادي الصحافة الأجنبية

The Committee to Protect Journalists is a New York-based, non profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to defending press freedom around the world.

URL: http://cpj.org/ar/2009/04/011109.php

Committee to Protect Journalists

330 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001 USA Phone: (212) 465‑1004 Fax: (212) 465‑9568 Web: www.cpj.org E-Mail: media@cpj.org

Contacts:

Mohamed Abdel Dayem, program coordinator

Phone: (212) 465-1004, x103; E-mail: m.abdel.dayem@cpj.org

Mariwan Hama-Saeed, research associate

Phone: (212) 465-1004, x104; E-mail: mariwan@cpj.org

CPJ concerned about Bahrain Web crackdown

April 7, 2009

His Majesty Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa

King of Bahrain ‎

C/O The Embassy of the Kingdom of Bahrain

‎3502 International Drive, NW ‎

Washington, D.C. 20008‎

Via facsimile: 202-362-2192‎

Your Majesty, ‎

The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to protest the ‎recent deterioration of press freedom in Bahrain and your government’s ‎ongoing campaign against critical or ‎opposition Web sites and blogs. The crackdown against those sites has resulted ‎in dozens of them ‎being blocked inside the kingdom, according to local and international human rights and ‎press ‎freedom watchdogs. ‎

CPJ is concerned about a campaign targeting independent or critical Web sites that discuss ‎social, political, and human rights issues, especially with the backdrop of an escalating crackdown on Shi’a activists, opposition figures, and human rights defenders. In January, local media outlets published ministerial order ‎‎1/2009, issued by Culture and Information Minister Sheikha Mai ‎bint Muhammad Al Khalifa, ‎ordering ‎telecommunications companies to block specific Web sites without warning or providing specific reasons when ordered to by the ‎ministry. Dozens of blogs, discussion forums, and sites of local and regional human rights groups have been blocked since.

Authorities have described their campaign as one against pornographic ‎and socially inappropriate Web sites, but CPJ research reveals that the sites of dozens of human ‎rights groups, opposition or independent bloggers, and political organizations have been blocked ‎inside Bahrain. Article 2 of the order states that “all telecommunications companies and Internet service ‎providers must block Web sites that are pornographic‎ or violate public decency,” but Article 1 ‎compels those companies to block Web sites on order from the minister, presumably even if they ‎are not of a pornographic nature.

Freedom of expression advocates have argued that before this order was issued, Web ‎sites and blogs that the government deemed troublesome were blocked anyway. But multiple sources told CPJ that ‎the number of blocked sites has risen exponentially as of late. The Ministry of Culture and Information is using advanced ‎technology that can filter keywords and block sites, multiple sources inside Bahrain told CPJ. ‎Blocked sites feature a screen that reads: “This Web site has been blocked for violating regulations and laws of the Kingdom of Bahrain.”

On February 11, the Ministry of Culture and Information told Reuters that some Web sites had been ‎blocked because of technical problems and that this would be resolved. But many sites blocked before February 11 are still inaccessible, local sources told CPJ.

For example, the Google Translation service has been blocked for the last three months, sources told CPJ. Abduljalil Alsingace, who blogs at alsingace.katib.org, told CPJ that his blog was blocked on February 10, after he posted a petition by an international group of intellectuals. Among the demands of the petition was the lifting of a travel ban on Alsingace. Alsingace migrated his entries to alsingace.blogspot.com. Both of his blogs remain inaccessible inside Bahrain, he told CPJ. Mahmood al-Yusef’s blog, Mahmood’s Den, which covers political and social issues among its topics, has been blocked for years within the country.

Most sources told CPJ that forums that discuss cultural, social, or political matters perceived as sensitive by the government are the most targeted Web sites. The political forum Multaqa al-Bahrain, the cultural ‎forum ‎Muntadayat al-Bahrain, and the cultural and political ‎forum al-Sarh al-Watani have all been blocked. In addition, the Web sites of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and the Arab Network for ‎‎Human Rights Information have also been blocked for long periods of time and remain ‎inaccessible inside the kingdom. ‎Dozens of sites that provide proxy ‏services are also inaccessible.

CPJ believes that Web sites and blogs must ‎‏not be blocked arbitrarily. On the rare occasions when blocking a site is justified, it is incumbent on the authorities to make clear the reasons why. Without such a mechanism in place, as is currently the case in Bahrain, authorities have arbitrarily engaged in the censorship of critical voices by simply blocking access to them under the cover of protecting decency or national unity. CPJ research reveals that many sites blocked inside the kingdom have been guilty of nothing more than addressing social, political, or human rights concerns through a critical prism. That alone must not be grounds for censorship.

These acts of censorship contradict multiple provisions of the Bahraini Constitution, which guarantees the right of freedom of expression. They are also in violation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Bahrain ratified in 2006, which guarantees the freedom “to seek, receive, and impart information.”

CPJ also wants to draw your attention to two lawsuits that have recently been filed ‎by ‎government agencies against two independent journalists.‎

Maryam al-Shrooqi, a journalist for ‎the independent daily al-Wasat, is on trial for writing an article titled “Fake governmental ‎advertisements” on August 27, ‎‎2008. The article examines hiring discrimination at the ‎Department of Civil Services supposedly based on religious affiliation. ‎Al-Shrooqi told CPJ that ‎her article was based on interviews with ‎multiple sources. Nevertheless, ‎in December 2008, the Department of Civil Services filed a criminal lawsuit against al-‎Shrooqi ‎for “insulting” it. Initially she faced two additional ‎charges of “fabricating lies” and “defaming” ‎the Department of Civil Services, although those ‎charges have since been dropped, al-Shrooqi ‎‎told CPJ. ‎

Al-Shrooqi said that she was advised by officials close to the department to ‎apologize and reveal ‎the identity of her sources to avoid legal action, but she refused. She has appeared in court four ‎times so far and her next hearing is scheduled for April 8, she told CPJ. If convicted, al-Shrooqi could be ‎banned from writing, fined or imprisoned, she said.

In a separate though equally alarming case, Lamees Dhaif, a columnist with the private daily al-‎Waqt paper, is on trial for ‎‎“insulting the judiciary” in a series of five investigative articles published in February. Titled “The ‎dossier of ‎‎great shame‎,” the series was meant to expose alleged judiciary corruption, she told CPJ. Dhaif said that an official asked her to write an apology or an article praising the judiciary to ‎avoid being sued; she refused. On February 26, the Supreme Judiciary Council, the branch’s highest administrative organ, filed a criminal lawsuit against her. In ‎early March, the public prosecutor’s office summoned Dhaif to appear in court as “an ordinary ‎citizen,” to try her under ‎Bahrain’s penal code instead of the press law, under which she would be less harshly penalized, she said. She protested the decision and demanded that she should ‎be charged under the press law. The ‎prosecution office accepted her demand. The case is still pending and no court ‎date has been set.‎

CPJ believes that both legal proceedings contradict the spirit of an October ‎‎2008 speech by Prime Minister ‎‎Sheikh Khalifa‎‏‎ bin Salman Al Khalifa in which he encouraged the media to “benefit from the climate of democracy and freedom available in the Kingdom of Bahrain” and “truthfully speak on behalf of Bahrain’s society, mirroring the reality of its daily life and contributing with neutrality and objectivity to the search for adequate solutions to its problems.”

We respectfully call on Your Majesty to direct the Ministry of Culture and Information to annul the ministerial ‎order calling for the blocking of critical Web sites. CPJ also calls on you to instruct the relevant agencies to drop the politically motivated ‎charges against al-Shrooqi ‎‎and Dhaif without delay. ‎

Thank you for your attention to these important matters. We look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Joel Simon
Executive Director

CC:

Shaikh Khalifa‎‏‎ bin Salman Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain

Shaikha Mai ‎bint Muhammad Al Khalifa, Bahrain Minister of Culture and Information

Shaikh Khalid bin Ali Al Khalifa, Bahrain Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs

Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Bahrain Minister of Foreign Affairs

Houda Ezra Ebrahim Nonoo, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United States

J. Adam Ereli, Ambassador of the United States to the Kingdom of Bahrain

Abdulrahman bin Hamad Al-Attiyah, Secretary General of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States

of the Gulf

Amr Moussa, Secretary General of the League of Arab States ‎

Nabeel Rajab, Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Essa Al Shaiji, Bahraini Journalists Association

Karen B. Stewart, Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and ‎Labor

Arab Network for Human Rights Information

OpenNet Initiative

Global Network Initiative

American Society of Newspaper Editors

Amnesty International

Article 19 (United Kingdom)‎

Canadian Journalists for Free Expression

Freedom of Expression and Democracy Unit, UNESCO

Freedom Forum

Freedom House

Human Rights Watch‎

Index on Censorship

International Center for Journalists

International Federation of Journalists

International PEN

International Press Institute

The Newspaper Guild

The North American Broadcasters Association

Overseas Press Club

The Committee to Protect Journalists is a New York-based, non profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to defending press freedom around the world.

URL: http://cpj.org/2009/04/cpj-concerned-about-bahrain-web-crackdown.php