The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI) denounced today the Bahraini authorities for restraining freedom of expression and media freedoms. In its session on 30 Jan., the Bahraini Cassation Court held the Military court’s sentence to 18-month imprisonment against the female activist Fadeelah Mubarak, for joining peaceful protests and listening to anti-regime songs. In addition, the lower criminal court is trialing today Waheed Alballoushy, media professional, and tomorrow the female journalist Reem Khalifa.
On 20 March 2011, Ms. Mubarak was arrested at Alrefa’ region, south west of the Bahraini capital AL Manama, while in her car listening to songs calling for change, she was stopped by security men, forced to turn off the recorder, and assaulted by beating. She was submitted to the exceptional national safety court with charge of “listening to revolutionist songs” and “participating in peaceful protests”. On 17 May 2011, the court sentenced her to 4-year imprisonment. Fadeelah challenged the ruling before the Military Court of Appeal which alleviated it to 18- month imprisonment on 8 June 2011. But, after ending the emergency state, Fadeelah’s defense challenged the last ruling before the court of cassation which held the ruling on 30 January 2011.
Waheed Balloushy, media professional and internet activist, was summoned to the public prosecution on 2 Jan. 2012, to be questioned about a complaint submitted by Alasala Alislamia Association (a Salafist organization), in which the association charges Balloushy with insulting an Islamic symbol in his writings that censure the association.
Reem Khalifa, journalist at AlWasat newspaper, was attacked, beaten and insulted by a group of pro-government while leaving Ramad hotel after attending a press conference organized by an Irish delegation on the issue of the Bahraini medical delegation arrested in February 2011. The group of pro-government have cordoned, attacked and insulted Ms. Khalifa who, afterwards, filed a lawsuit charging them with “assault and insult” but, instead of questioning them, Ms. Khalifa was shocked when she was sent to trail with charges of “libel and slander” and “physical assault”, to be turned from an accuser to an accused. The Lower Criminal Court is to examine her case tomorrow 2 February 2011.
Also, Bahrain’s Appeal Court decided today to adjourn the case of the activist Naser Alras for a ruling session set to be on 16 February 2012. Naser is one of the 13 Bahrainis who were arrested last year for participating in the peaceful demonstrations, and was sent to trail with charge of assembling. The 1stinstance court had sentenced them to periods ranging from 2 and 5 year imprisonment with charges of “participating in illegal assemblies and riots” and “inciting against authorities”. When the group of activists appealed the sentence, the court of appeal acquitted 12 of them, while the trial of Naser, who was sentenced to 5 year imprisonment, continued. In its session held today the court decided to adjourn the case for a ruling session set to be on 16 February 2012.
ANHRI said “since the commencement of the Bahraini uprising in February 2011, the Bahraini government has been curbing freedom of expression and the opposition. Ending the emergency state did not change a thing, for, instead of trialing the dissenters before military courts, the authorities now trail them before criminal courts, just to put more restrains on freedom of expression and gag the dissenters with unfair trails”
ANHRI calls upon the international society, the Arab society and all the freedoms defenders in all over the world to break the fence of silence built around the crimes committed against the Bahraini revolution and take immediate action to exert pressure on the authorities to end these unjust trials against activists, journalists and media professionals
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