Bahrain’s Recent Attacks on Press Freedom

Update: After this post was published, Bahrain’s Ministry of Information Affairs has partially suspended on 16 January 2017 Alwasat, the country’s only independent newspaper. See here for more details.  On 16 January 2017, Bahrain’s prosecution will try the case of journalist Nazeeha Saeed, whom the Public Prosecution Office charged with working for international media without a[…]

Bahrain’s Prosecution Detains Nabeel Rajab Despite Court-Ordered Release

28 December 2016 – A Bahraini court earlier today ordered the provisional release of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab on bail. However, the Public Prosecution subsequently ordered his continued detention for seven days, citing further investigation into another case in which Rajab is accused of “spreading false news,” likely to be related to letters published[…]

Bahraini Authorities refer Nabeel Rajab to Prosecution for Letter Published in Le Monde

21 December 2016 – Bahraini authorities have today interrogated imprisoned human rights defender Nabeel Rajab on allegations stemming from a letter he recently published in the French newspaper Le Monde. The undersigned NGOs condemn in the strongest possible terms any further legal action against Rajab for exercising his fundamental right to free expression and call[…]

53 NGOs urge UN to voice support for Nabeel Rajab

20 December 2016 H.E. Zeid Ra’ad Zeid al-Hussein United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Palais Wilson 52 rue des Pâquis CH-1201 Geneva Switzerland CC: David Kaye, Special Rapporteur on Free Expression Michele Forst, Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Dear Mr. High Commissioner, We, the undersigned human rights organizations, write to urge your office[…]

Canadian FM must call on Govt of Bahrain to release journalists and activists

The following letter was sent to the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Stephane Dion. We, the undersigned human rights organizations, are deeply concerned by the continued targeting of individuals, including journalists, for their free expression in the Kingdom of Bahrain. As the Manama Dialogue defense conference is set to take place from December 9th to 11th,[…]