Bahrain suspends al-Jazeera

24 May 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, Uncategorized

Al-Jazeera was suspended from operating in Bahrain on 19 May. The government said the news channel was “flouting the laws regulating the press and publishing” in the country and did not comply with “professional norms.” The bureau’s suspension includes both the Arabic and English stations and Bahrain-based online content; and an Al-Jazeera film crew have been denied entry into the country. Some reports claim a report Al-Jazeera aired on poverty in Bahrain may have been the catalyst for the ban.

Bahrain bans sharing news on BlackBerrys

20 Apr 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, Uncategorized

The Bahrain Ministry of Information and Culture announced a ban on sharing local news with BlackBerry mobile devices last week. A ministry official, Abdullah Yateem, said the ban was to prevent the “chaos and confusion caused by such news among the public”. Immediately after the ban, the BlackBerry news provider “Breaking News” was forced to stop sending their free six-page daily newspaper to 13,000 subscribers in the country.

Author arrested in Sri Lanka

30 Mar 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost

Expatriate Sri Lankan author, Sarah Malini Perera, has been arrested in whilst on holiday Sri Lanka for writing two books— From Darkness to Light and Questions and Answers—about her conversion from Buddhism to Islam. Perara, who has lived in Bahrain since 1985, was detained last week after apparently causing offence to the largely Buddhist Sinhalese population of the country. Authorities have declined to comment on the situation.

Shiite publishers blacklisted at Bahrain book fair

11 Feb 10 | Index Index, Middle East and North Africa, minipost, Uncategorized

Twenty-five Lebanese Shiite publishing houses have been barred from exhibiting books during the annual fair in Manama on 17 March 2010. Al Wassat daily newspaper reports that although a black list has been issued by the Bahraini authorities, the publishing houses are yet to be officially notified. The Bahraini Ministry of Information denies responsibility for the ban and the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights suggest it may have been issued by  the National Security Apparatus.