Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Recommendations

Info

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry photographers, bloggers and other media professionals. The crackdown materialised in the form of dismissals from employment, censorship, arrests and mistreatment. 806 However, the Chairman of the Bahrain Journalists’ Association made a statement in which he asserted that no complaints were received from any journalists. 807 6. General allegations about censorship and media freedom in Bahrain 1613. Finally, the Commission received a number of complaints from journalists about the level of media freedom in Bahrain. These journalists alleged that the media in Bahrain is heavily censored by the GoB and does not represent the views or outlook of the vast majority of Bahrainis. It was alleged that in some cases, simply expressing a point of view or factual information that differs from or contradicts the GoB’s position could result in the suspension or termination of employment at a media organisation. Journalists reported that during the events of February/March 2011, there was particularly extensive censorship of media outlets. 808 1614. Several journalists alleged that in addition to self-censorship, their editors frequently edited their articles and reports in order to reflect the GoB’s position. It is alleged that there is an unspoken policy governing what journalists can and cannot write in newspapers. Journalists stated that during the events in Bahrain in February/March 2011, they often received direct instructions from editors on how to frame stories about protesters and opposition figures. One prominent cartoonist informed the Commission that the editor of a leading Arabic-daily newspaper in Bahrain prevented the publication of a cartoon depicting a man holding a Bahraini flag. Some journalists reported that censorship during February and March 2011 was so extensive that many journalists were forced to defame their own religious sect and religious leaders in order to keep their jobs. B. Applicable Law 1. International Law 1615. Article 19(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 (ICCPR) provides that “[e]veryone shall have the right to 806 Jaffar Alawy states: I Have a Dream… for Clarification Only!, Bahrain Mirror (8 November 2011), http://bahrainmirror.no-ip.org/article.php?id=2248&cid=73 accessed 12 November 2011 (Arabic Text). 807 Limited Access for Foreign Journalists in Bahrain, International Media Support (21 February 2011), http://www.i-m-s.dk/article/limited-access-foreign-journalists-bahrain accessed 10 November 2011. 808 These allegations were presented by journalists from Al-Wasat as well as State-controlled media. 396
Chapter X — Allegations of Media Harassment freedom of expression” and that “this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds.” 809 1616. Article 20(2) of the ICCPR provides that “[a]ny advocacy of national, racial or religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility or violence shall be prohibited by law.” 1617. Article 19(3) of the ICCPR provides that restrictions may be imposed on the exercise of freedom of expression, but any such restrictions must be provided by law and must be necessary for “respect of the rights or reputations of others” or for “the protection of national security or of public order (ordre public), or of public health or morals.” 810 In addition, restrictions on the freedom of expression must conform to the strict tests of necessity and proportionality. 1618. The Human Rights Committee has emphasised that for the purposes Article 19(3), a norm, to be characterized as a “law”, must be formulated with sufficient precision to enable an individual to regulate his or her conduct accordingly and it must be made accessible to the public. A law may not confer unfettered discretion for the restriction of freedom of expression on those charged with its execution. Laws must provide sufficient guidance to those charged with their execution to enable them to ascertain what sorts of expression are properly restricted and what sorts are not. 811 1619. The Committee has also observed that “restrictive measures must conform to the principle of proportionality; they must be the least intrusive instrument amongst those which might achieve their protective function; they must be proportionate to the interest to be protected.” 812 Thus, “when a State party invokes a legitimate ground for restriction of freedom of expression, it must demonstrate in specific and individualised fashion the precise nature of the threat, and the necessity and proportionality of the specific action taken, in particular by establishing a direct and immediate connection between the expression and the threat.” 813 809 See also article 32 of the Arab Charter on Human Rights 2004, which guarantees the right to information and to freedom of opinion and expression. 810 Similarly, article 32(2) of the Arab Charter provides that these rights and freedoms “shall be exercised in conformity with the fundamental values of society and shall be subject only to such limitations as are required to ensure respect for the rights or reputation of others or the protection of national security, public order and public health or morals.” 811 Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 34: Article 19 Freedoms of Opinion and Expression (2011) para 25. 812 Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 34: Article 19 Freedoms of Opinion and Expression (2011) para 34. 813 Human Rights Committee, General Comment No. 34: Article 19 Freedoms of Opinion and Expression (2011) para 34. For other relevant statements by the Human Rights Committee in regard to article 19(3) of the ICCPR, see Chapter VI, Section E. 397
Page 1:
REPORT OF THE BAHRAIN INDEPENDENT C
Page 4 and 5:
Report of the Bahrain Independent C
Page 6 and 7:
Page 8 and 9:
Page 10 and 11:
Page 12 and 13:
Page 14 and 15:
f. Sexual Abuse; g. Rapes; Report o
Page 16 and 17:
Page 18 and 19:
Page 20 and 21:
Page 22 and 23:
Page 24 and 25:
Page 26 and 27:
Page 28 and 29:
Page 30 and 31:
Page 32 and 33:
Page 34 and 35:
Page 36 and 37:
Page 38 and 39:
Page 40 and 41:
Page 42 and 43:
Page 44 and 45:
Page 46 and 47:
Page 48 and 49:
Page 50 and 51:
Page 52 and 53:
Page 54 and 55:
Page 56 and 57:
Page 58 and 59:
Page 60 and 61:
Page 62 and 63:
Page 64 and 65:
Page 66 and 67:
Page 68 and 69:
Page 70 and 71:
Page 72 and 73:
Page 74 and 75:
Page 76 and 77:
Page 78 and 79:
Page 80 and 81:
Page 82 and 83:
Page 84 and 85:
Page 86 and 87:
Page 88 and 89:
Page 90 and 91:
Page 92 and 93:
Page 94 and 95:
Page 96 and 97:
Monday, 21 February 2011 Report of
Page 98 and 99:
Tuesday, 22 February 2011 Report of
Page 100 and 101:
Page 102 and 103:
Page 104 and 105:
Page 106 and 107:
Page 108 and 109:
Page 110 and 111:
Page 112 and 113:
Page 114 and 115:
Page 116 and 117:
Page 118 and 119:
Page 120 and 121:
Page 122 and 123:
Page 124 and 125:
Page 126 and 127:
Page 128 and 129:
Page 130 and 131:
Page 132 and 133:
Page 134 and 135:
Page 136 and 137:
Page 138 and 139:
Page 140 and 141:
Page 142 and 143:
Page 144 and 145:
Page 146 and 147:
Page 148 and 149:
Page 150 and 151:
Page 152 and 153:
Page 154 and 155:
Page 156 and 157:
Page 158 and 159:
Page 160 and 161:
Page 162 and 163:
Page 164 and 165:
Page 166 and 167:
Tuesday, 22 March 2011 Report of th
Page 168 and 169:
Page 170 and 171:
Page 172 and 173:
Page 174 and 175:
Page 176 and 177:
Page 178 and 179:
Page 180 and 181:
Page 182 and 183:
Page 184 and 185:
Page 186 and 187:
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
Page 194 and 195:
Page 196 and 197:
Page 198 and 199:
Page 200 and 201:
Page 202 and 203:
Page 204 and 205:
Page 206 and 207:
Page 208 and 209:
Page 210 and 211:
Page 212 and 213:
Page 214 and 215:
Page 216 and 217:
Page 218 and 219:
Page 220 and 221:
Page 222 and 223:
Page 224 and 225:
Page 226 and 227:
Page 228 and 229:
Page 230 and 231:
d. Deaths of expatriate workers Rep
Page 232 and 233:
Page 234 and 235:
Page 236 and 237:
Page 238 and 239:
Page 240 and 241:
Page 242 and 243:
Page 244 and 245:
Page 246 and 247:
Page 248 and 249:
Page 250 and 251:
Page 252 and 253:
Page 254 and 255:
Page 256 and 257:
Page 258 and 259:
Unattributed deaths Report of the B
Page 260 and 261:
Page 262 and 263:
Page 264 and 265:
Page 266 and 267:
Page 268 and 269:
Page 270 and 271:
Page 272 and 273:
Page 274 and 275:
Page 276 and 277:
Page 278 and 279:
Page 280 and 281:
Page 282 and 283:
Page 284 and 285:
Page 286 and 287:
Page 288 and 289:
Page 290 and 291:
Page 292 and 293:
Page 294 and 295:
Page 296 and 297:
Page 298 and 299:
Page 300 and 301:
Page 302 and 303:
Page 304 and 305:
Page 306 and 307:
Page 308 and 309:
Page 310 and 311:
Page 312 and 313:
Page 314 and 315:
Page 316 and 317:
Page 318 and 319:
Page 320 and 321:
Page 322 and 323:
Page 324 and 325:
Page 326 and 327:
Page 328 and 329:
Page 330 and 331:
Page 332 and 333:
a. March 2011 Report of the Bahrain
Page 334 and 335:
Page 336 and 337:
Page 338 and 339:
Page 340 and 341:
Page 342 and 343:
Page 344 and 345:
Page 346 and 347:
Page 348 and 349:
Page 350 and 351:
Page 352 and 353:
Page 354 and 355:
Page 356 and 357: Report of the Bahrain Independent C
Page 448 and 449: CASE NO. 8 (Examined by forensic te
Page 456 and 457:
Page 458 and 459:
Page 460 and 461:
CASE NO. 21 (Examined by forensic t
Page 462 and 463:
Page 464 and 465:
Page 466 and 467:
Page 468 and 469:
Page 470 and 471:
Page 472 and 473:
Page 474 and 475:
Page 476 and 477:
Page 478 and 479:
Page 480 and 481:
Page 482 and 483:
(Examined by forensic team) Date of
Page 484 and 485:
Page 486 and 487:
Page 488 and 489:
Page 490 and 491:
Page 492 and 493:
Article Five. Report of the Bahrain
Page 494 and 495:
Page 496 and 497:
Page 498 and 499:
Page 500 and 501:
Page 502 and 503:
Royal Decrees Royal Orders Report o
Page 504 and 505:
Page 506 and 507:
Page 508 and 509:
Page 510 and 511:
Page 512 and 513:
show all

Report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?