Bahrain Press Association: Hunger for Freedom
 

03-05-12 07:12 PM

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World Press Freedom day 2012
In commemoration of the World Press Freedom day 2012, Journalists in Bahrain will celebrate the event by going on a hunger strike called for by the Bahrain Press Association ("BPA"). The hunger strike is a form of protest to the countless violations and abuses exercised by the regime against Press Freedom along with Freedom of Speech ever since the fourteenth of February 2011.

Holding a hunger strike on such a day is but a scream in the face of the authorities and their intimidating practices towards the freedom of speech. Likewise, it is intended to convey a message by the journalists in Bahrain to the international community to urge all those concerned to exert more pressure on the regime to satisfy its obligations and commitments as per the United Nations' human rights covenants and treaties.
Violations ... On-going Nightmare
Journalists in Bahrain still recall with deep sorrow and grief two press professionals who were murdered last year (Publisher Kareem Fakhrawy and blogger Zakariya Rashid AlAshiri) while in the custody of the Bahraini authorities. The dramatic loss of such professionals was coupled by arbitral arrests and dismissals of scores of colleagues who were as well subjected to torture while being kept in the detention houses led by the Ministry of Interior's National Security Agency and the Bahrain Defense Force.
The media and press realm in Bahrain had hoped to see the recommendations of the Bahrain independent Commission of Inquiry ("BICI") have effect in correcting the course of government policy as per the freedom of expression and information. Dispreatly as it looks, nothing has become effective on the ground. . Abuses continue in a period considered to be the worst in the history of Bahrain since its independence. This bad reputation was further endorsed by Manama being rated among the top ten most repressive states, according to Reporters without Borders.
The media and press realm in Bahrain had hoped to see the recommendations of the Bahrain independent Commission of Inquiry ("BICI") have effect in correcting the course of government policy as per the freedom of expression and information. Dispreatly as it looks, nothing has become effective on the ground. . Abuses continue in a period considered to be the worst in the history of Bahrain since its independence. This bad reputation was further endorsed by Manama being rated among the top ten most repressive states, according to Reporters without Borders.
The list of media blackouts and suppression of press freedom was not limited to Bahrainis International media correspondents and international news agency journalists have shared the same government hostile polices. Many of these cases have been documented by international organizations for journalists being banned from entering Bahrain on the first anniversary of the protests in the Pearl Roundabout; others were either detained or forced leave the country.
Read the full report here
For more information, please contact:
Bahrain Press Association
UK +447821135441
US +12403869925
Email: [email protected]


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