British politcians’ fear of upsetting “allies” has meant oppression in the tiny gulf nation is ignored, says Rohan Jayasekera
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The Bahrain Interior Ministry announced the arrest of four people for defaming public figures on social media today (17 October), with authorities still searching for a fifth.
The Acting General Director of Anti-Corruption, Electronic and Economic Security said that the suspects confessed to their crime, which could result in a jail sentence of up to five years. Bahrain’s cyber defamation laws — which include the publication of “fake news” — were revised in September, resulting in heavier monitoring of social media networks to tackle the “misuse” of such platforms.
Index award winner Nabeel Rajab of the Bahrain Human Rights Center is currently appealing a three year sentence for organising pro-democracy rallies via social networks.
Bahraini police arrested five medics in a set of dawn raids this morning, one day after the nation’s highest court upheld their prison sentences in a case international rights groups have condemned as politically motivated. Doctor Ali al-Ekry, who faces five years in prison for “possession and concealment” of weapons and “illegal assembly”, was arrested at his home at 5:30am local time. The other medics were reportedly arrested in subsequent raids. Separately, Mohamed al-Mushaimaa, who was jailed last year for his alleged role in protests, died in a Bahraini prison overnight. A sickle cell anaemia sufferer, al-Mushaimaa had complained of not receiving proper medical treatment in prison, his lawyer said.
In a case that has drawn international condemnation, Bahrain‘s highest court today upheld prison sentences handed down to nine medics for weapons possession, incitement and taking part in illegal demonstrations last year. One of the doctors was sentenced to five years, and the remaining eight were given between a month and three years. Their original sentences of 15 years were reduced last June, with nine of the original group of 20 medics being acquitted. A further two remain at large.