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Originally Posted by Abcdxxxx
"Violations of media freedom also persist in Bahrain. Journalists, newspapers and internet-based forum moderators and bloggers faced mounting restrictions both from the authorities and from various sectors of the society itself.
Such violations during the past six months have included the detention and arrest of journalists and bloggers. This included, amongst others, the arrest of Ali Abdul Imam, moderator of Bahrain Online ( http://www.bahrainonline.org), its webmasters Mohammed Al-Musavi, and Hussein Yousef, who have been arrested several times during the past six months. International concern mounted when they staged a hunger-strike in March 2005, demanding better prison conditions in Manama's notorious Al Hoora police station and reclassification as prisoners of conscience rather than ordinary prisoners.
This was followed by a decree from the Ministry of Information instructing Bahraini website and blog moderators to register their sites with the Ministry and assume responsibility for materials published on them within a period of three months. This was deemed "a violation of freedom of opinion and restriction of freedom of expression" according to Bahraini activists. Khawaja claimed this was a way to censor internet-based forums and discussions even if run by Bahrain nationals from abroad.
This follows the passing of Press Law 47 [2002], which provided the framework for the arrest of dozens of journalists and editors-in-chief, which triggered a culture of self-censorship amongst Bahraini newspapers and magazines. In interviews with EOHR, journalists also expressed anger at what they called "direct orders" they and their editors-in-chief allegedly receive from the Ministry of Information in the form of written letters and phone calls guiding them on what to publish and what to censor.
Bahrain's Press Law 47 amended previous laws -- adding more restrictions on freedom of expression including prohibiting "defamation of the person of the king", which has been used, according to activists in Bahrain, to censor all forms of criticism addressing the king and the royal family. The law also introduced harsher penalties on press crimes."
http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/full/68786/
and a blogger in Bahrain who confirms this...
http://mahmood.tv/index.php/blog/1661 |
You really seem to be confused with what's going on.
This is what's written on top of the blog, if you're too blind to see for yourself:
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which the Bahraini Government has COMMITTED to sign says: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
The law is on OUR side. The government, however, is NOT. That means democracy is slowly being introduced, since the government is not always going to agree with its citizens. It's finally learning how to take responsibility for their actions. It's finally realizing that America is in total favour of us being a more democratic monarchy, to the point where such laws would be introduced.
That is the whole POINT of me using Ghada Jamsheer's example, can't you fucking think for a second? She had 3 cases against her by government officials and yet she managed to win. If this law didn't apply Mahmood would've been jailed already, and so would Ghada. Yet because of the extent of freedom of the press in Bahrain (NOT Iran, in case you forgot again) they're both roaming around freely and without trouble.
That is to say, the government no longer does this. Did I ever deny this? Look back at my posts and tell me where I denied that this ever happened. Look back at my posts to where I said that I'm saddened by the friends I have lost due to the actions taken by the govenrment. Look back at my posts and tell me that I made this place seem like the land of milk and honey. Look back at my posts and tell me that I deny and refuse to admit the fact that a lot of Muslims are guilty of shitty, shitty things (which shouldn't be associated with Islam in general.)
It has been many months since this has happened. This law was enforced during the summer when Condi Rice paid us a visit (and then another visit in November,) to ensure that this doesn't happen. Jamsheer's book was published in June, right when she felt that it was safe enough to. The government was expecting it, but after signing such documents and making deals with America they do not want to be critisized for things like "absolute power" or eliminating rights the citizens need.
Will this happen again? Yes. Do you know of ANY country that doesn't break any law? That does things that don't go against their constitutions? No government is perfect which is why the "ideal" form of government doesn't exist anywhere yet, and we only know this because chaos exists everywhere.
Thanks for confirming my fucking point, and proving yourself to be an idiot again. "I love the" way you're trying to convince me that I'm wrong when I'm the one who mentioned this whole blogging experience to begin with.