Reporters Without Borders -Press release- 3 July 2008 - BAHRAIN
Press law amendments hailed but journalists still face jail and websites risk closure
Reporters Without Borders has welcomed some amendments to the press law in Bahrain but voiced concern about some remaining failings that leave journalists and publications exposed to risk.
Despite real improvements, Bahraini journalists still face prison sentences for what they write and officials keep the right to close websites, the worldwide press freedom organisation said in a letter to the country???s information minister, Jehad bin Hassan Bukamal.
The government in May proposed amendments to decree-law n??47 of 2002 to parliament which is to study them at its next session starting in October.
???Even though we broadly approve the amendments, there are a few outstanding questions???, it said in the 26 June 2008 letter. The press law reforms take things in the right direction. They amend the law by abolishing almost all prison sentences, along with some offences. Several articles also provide that a judge should monitor the running of media businesses rather than officials. These initiatives will favour a blossoming and strengthening of the kingdom???s independent press???, the organisation said.
???Several articles are amended in a way that boosts press freedom. Prison sentences are abolished for distributing publications without a licence, before they are granted or after being banned or cancelled (Articles 16 and 86). ???
???We hail the abolition of Article 21 under which foreign publications could be seized and even though distribution of these publications still has to be authorised, a refusal can in future be appealed (Article 17). Likewise, under Article 4 paragraph 5, a reason must be given for any refusal to grant a licence to a printer. It can also be appealed whereas there was no recourse in the event of a refusal under the current law.
The reform also reduces obstacles to the creation of new publications by opening up printing, publishing and press activities to foreign residents (Article 7), allowing foreigners, albeit with restrictions, to invest in a company publishing a newspaper (Article 45) and shortening the time limit for granting of licences. But at the same time, we can only deplore the fact that licensing, along with deposit of financial guarantees, granted by the information minister and after approval by the council of ministers, remain an essential condition to publish a newspaper???, the organisation added.
???In the same way, protection supplied by Article 19, which puts banning distribution of a publication under the control of a judge, remains risky since official seizure will still precede the decision going before the courts. We believe that no publication should be seized and no website closed before a judge can examine the complaint against them. Cases could be referred to a specialised court that would have the advantage that the judges would be knowledgeable about how the press operates and aware of what is at stake.
???Moreover, the abolition of Articles 68, 69, 70, 71 and 72, which, at first sight appear to be favourable to journalists, carry the implicit risk that judges could apply criminal law in some press cases. These articles punish criticising the head of state, harming the foundations of Bahrain???s official religion, publishing news detrimental to national unity, private life and dignity of individuals or insulting the head of an Arab state which has good relations with the kingdom. All these measures considerably limited journalists??? rights but abolishing them will not mean progress as long as other laws can be used to convict journalists. While waiting for a wider reform of Bahraini criminal law, it seems to us safer for these articles to be put back into the press code, but with prison sentences replaced by fines proportional to the offence suffered by the victims and removing all reference to criminal law???, Reporters Without Borders said.
???Article 5 excludes electronic publications from the press law. While it seems to us of little benefit to have a specific law for the Internet the amended law-decree 47 of 2002, could be applied to all press publications of whatever kind. Finally, we wish to remind you of our commitment to broadcast liberalisation. The extension of freedoms which you are working towards cannot succeed without ending the state monopoly in this sector???, the organisation concluded in its letter to the information minister.
Three journalists on the weekly al-Wefaq, press organ of the main opposition group of the same name, were summoned by state security services on 28 June and were not released until the following day. The editor Sayyed Taher, journalists Adel al-Ali and Mohammd Naaman are being charged with ???inciting hatred of the government, ???insulting the regime??? and ???publication of news fostering confessionnalism???. The representative for al-Wefaq, Khalil al-Marzooq, said the prosecutor???s office had not produced any evidence or even any article to the three men before charging them.
The journalists were apparently questioned about their links to the website Awal.net (http://awaal.net/) that was closed on the order of the information ministry on 24 June 2008. Two other websites, Shams Albahrain (http://www.ba7rainss.com/vb/ ) and Mamlakat Albahrain Forums (http://www.bahrainforums.com/) were closed on the same date because of their ???sectarian nature???. The information ministry relied on Article 19 of the decree-law No 47 of 2002, allowing any publication to be banned that ???harmed the regime, the official state religion, morality or different confessions in a way likely to cause a breach of the peace???. At least 24 websites are currently being blocked in Bahrain as a result of decisions by officials.
The Manama government has also made known its wish to set up a commission responsible for monitoring sermons given in the kingdom???s mosques as well as press articles and online discussion forums to ???report any incitement to confessionnalism???. On the blogosphere, an ethical code has been proposed by blogger Mahmood al-Yusif (http://mahmood.tv/2008/07/02/proposed-bloggers-code-of-ethics-against-sectarianism/ ) to ???appeal to the sense of honour of Internet-users??? to counter hasty closures of websites. ???The closure of online discussion platforms or any other website, whatever its content, only serves as a springboard to celebrity. It is only through debate in society that we will really succeed in changing people???s mentalities,??? he said.
A Reporters Without Borders??? delegation went to Manama from 9 to 13 February 2008 to meet government representatives and opposition members, journalists, and leaders of civil society. Read the investigation report (http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=26040).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reporters sans fronti??res - Communiqu?? de presse
3 juillet 2008
BAHRE??N
R??forme du code de la presse : Reporters sans fronti??res salue des avanc??es mais s???inqui??te des insuffisances des amendements propos??s
Reporters sans fronti??res a adress??, le 26 juin 2008, un courrier ?? Jehad bin Hassan Bukamal, ministre bahre??ni de l???Information, dans lequel l???organisation a salu?? les avanc??es contenues dans les amendements au code de la presse mais s???est inqui??t??e de certaines insuffisances. Des amendements au d??cret-loi n??47 de 2002 ont ??t?? pr??sent??s en mai dernier par le gouvernement au Parlement, qui devrait les ??tudier lors de sa prochaine session, ?? partir du mois d???octobre. Malgr?? de vraies am??liorations, les journalistes bahre??nis continuent de risquer la prison pour leurs ??crits et les d??cisions administratives permettant de fermer des sites Internet sont toujours d???actualit??.
???Si les amendements qui ont ??t?? apport??s au d??cret-loi n??47 de 2002 sur la presse re??oivent globalement notre approbation, quelques interrogations persistent. Les r??formes envisag??es en mati??re de droit de la presse vont dans le bon sens. Elles amendent la l??gislation en vigueur en supprimant presque partout les peines de prison qui figuraient dans ce texte, ainsi que certaines infractions. Par ailleurs, elles font intervenir dans plusieurs articles un juge ?? la place des seules autorit??s administratives pour veiller au bon fonctionnement des entreprises de presse. Ces initiatives sont favorables ?? l?????panouissement et au renforcement d???une presse ind??pendante dans le royaume???, a ??crit Reporters sans fronti??res.
???Plusieurs articles de la loi sont modifi??s dans un sens favorable ?? la libert?? de la presse. Les peines de prison sont supprim??es en cas de distribution d???une publication sans licence, avant qu???elle ne soit octroy??e ou apr??s qu???elle a ??t?? supprim??e ou annul??e (articles 16 et 86). Nous saluons la suppression de l???article 21 qui pr??voyait la saisie de publications ??trang??res. Et si la distribution de ces publications reste soumise ?? une autorisation, le refus peut d??sormais donner lieu ?? un recours (article 17). De m??me, en vertu de l???article 4 alin??a 5, le refus d???accorder une licence ?? un imprimeur doit ??tre motiv??. Il est par ailleurs susceptible de recours alors qu???un tel refus n???est soumis ?? aucun contr??le dans la loi actuellement en vigueur. De plus, en ouvrant les activit??s d???imprimerie, d?????dition, de presse, etc. aux r??sidents non bahre??nis (article 7), en ouvrant aux ??trangers, quoique avec des restrictions, la possibilit?? d???entrer dans le capital d???une soci??t?? publiant un journal (article 45), ou encore en raccourcissant le d??lai d???attribution d???une licence (article 51), cette r??forme r??duit les obstacles ?? la cr??ation de nouvelles publications. Mais en m??me temps, nous ne pouvons que d??plorer le maintien des licences, assorties du d??p??t d???une garantie financi??re, octroy??es par le minist??re de l???Information apr??s approbation du Conseil des ministres, condition aujourd???hui sine qua non pour la publication d???un journal???, a ajout?? l???organisation.
???De m??me, la protection apport??e par l???article 19, qui fait passer sous le contr??le du juge l???interdiction de distribution d???une publication, est al??atoire puisque la saisie administrative continue ?? pr??c??der la d??cision de justice. Nous pensons qu???aucune publication ne devrait ??tre saisie ni aucun site Internet ferm?? avant qu???un juge n???examine la plainte ?? son encontre. A ce titre, la mise en place d???une chambre sp??cialis??e aurait l???avantage de confier ces dossiers ?? des magistrats inform??s du mode de fonctionnement de la presse et conscients de ses enjeux.
Par ailleurs, l???abrogation des articles 68, 69,70, 71 et 72, qui, au premier regard, para??t favorable aux journalistes, risque, sans le dire, d???amener les juges ?? appliquer le code p??nal dans certaines affaires de presse. Ces articles sanctionnaient notamment la critique du chef de l???Etat, l???atteinte aux fondements de la religion officielle du Bahre??n, la publication d???informations portant atteinte ?? l???unit?? nationale, ?? la vie priv??e, ?? la dignit?? des personnes ou encore outrageant un chef d???Etat arabe entretenant des relations avec le royaume. Toutes ces dispositions limitaient consid??rablement les droits des journalistes. Mais leur suppression ne constituera pas une avanc??e tant que d???autres textes de loi pourront ??tre utilis??s pour condamner les journalistes. Dans l???attente d???une r??forme plus globale du code p??nal bahre??ni, il nous semble plus prudent de r??introduire ces articles dans le code de la presse, en les assortissant non plus de peines de prison mais d???amendes proportionn??es aux offenses subies par les victimes et en supprimant toute r??f??rence au code p??nal???, a d??clar?? Reporters sans fronti??res.
???L???article 5 exclut les publications ??lectroniques de la loi sur la presse. Or, il nous appara??t peu n??cessaire de mettre en place une loi sp??cifique sur Internet. Le d??cret-loi n??47 de 2002, modifi??, pourrait ??tre appliqu?? ?? l???ensemble des publications de presse quelle que soit leur nature. Enfin, nous tenons ?? vous rappeler notre attachement ?? la lib??ralisation de l???audiovisuel. L?????largissement du champ des libert??s, auquel vous ??uvrez, ne pourra aboutir sans mettre fin au monopole de l???Etat dans ce secteur???, a conclu l???organisation dans son courrier au ministre de l???Information.
Trois journalistes de l???hebdomadaire Al-Wefaq, organe de presse du principal groupe d???opposition du m??me nom, ont ??t?? convoqu??s le 28 juin 2008 par les services de s??curit?? de l???Etat. Ils n???ont ??t?? lib??r??s que le lendemain. Le r??dacteur en chef Sayyed Taher, les journalistes Adel Al-Ali et Mohammd Naaman sont poursuivis pour ???incitation ?? la haine contre le gouvernement???, ???outrage contre le r??gime??? et ???publication d???informations suscitant le confessionnalisme???. Selon le d??put?? d???Al-Wefaq, Khalil Al-Marzooq, le parquet n???aurait pr??sent?? aucune preuve, ni m??me aucun article aux trois hommes avant de les inculper. Les journalistes auraient ??t?? interrog??s sur leur lien avec le site Internet Awaal.net (http://awaal.net/), ferm??, le 24 juin 2008, sur ordre du minist??re de l???Information. Deux autres sites, Shams Albahrain (http://www.ba7rainss.com/vb/ ) et Mamlakat Albahrain Forums (http://www.bahrainforums.com/) ont ??t?? ferm??s ?? la m??me date en raison de leur ???caract??re sectaire???. Le minist??re de l???Information s???est appuy?? sur l???article 19 du d??cret-loi n??47 de 2002, l???autorisant ?? interdire toute publication portant ???atteinte au r??gime, ?? la religion officielle de l???Etat, aux bonnes m??urs, ou aux diff??rentes confessions de fa??on ?? troubler la paix publique???. Actuellement, au moins 24 sites Internet sont bloqu??s au Bahre??n par d??cision administrative.
Par ailleurs, le gouvernement de Manama a affich?? son d??sir de mettre en place une commission charg??e de surveiller les sermons d??livr??s dans les mosqu??es du royaume ainsi que les articles de presse et les forums de discussion sur Internet pour ???signaler toute incitation au confessionnalisme???. Du c??t?? de la blogosp??re, un code d?????thique a ??t?? propos?? par le blogueur Mahmood Al-Yousif (http://mahmood.tv/2008/07/02/proposed-bloggers-code-of-ethics-against-sectarianism/ ) pour ???faire appel au sens de l???honneur des internautes??? et rem??dier ainsi aux fermetures intempestives de sites. ???La fermeture des plates-formes de discussion sur Internet ou de n???importe quel site, quel que soit son contenu, ne sert que de tremplin vers la c??l??brit??. Ce n???est qu????? travers un d??bat de soci??t?? que nous r??ussirons ?? faire r??ellement ??voluer les mentalit??s???, a-t-il d??clar??.
Une d??l??gation de Reporters sans fronti??res s???est rendue ?? Manama du 9 au 13 f??vrier 2008 pour rencontrer des repr??sentants du gouvernement, des membres de l???opposition, des journalistes et des acteurs de la soci??t?? civile. Lire le rapport d???enqu??te de la mission (http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?id_article=26039).
A Time To Live..
AbdulhadiKhalaf
abdulla.tv
Abdulrahman Al-Noaimi
Abo Jenin
Ahmed
Ali Abdulemam (15 unread)
Ammar's Blog
Ba7rain Media
Babbling Bahrania
Bahrain Center for Human Rights (6 unread)
Bahrain For Ever
Bahrain Talent (1 unread)
Bahrain Taxi
Bahrain Techies
BahrainEve حـواء البـحـرين
Bahraini Diva
Bahraini Rants
bint battuta in bahrain (2 unread)
Chicks' Pen
Chisels
Concerned Citizen X
Contemplation
Cookie
Coolreds rant (1 unread)
cupcakes think pink
Deonna Kelli Sayed
Desert Island Boy
divine
Dreamer
Eureka Express
Evil Odd
Eyad, who used to be Human.
Free Mohd Saeed
Freedom is Present
Hail Citizens
Hasan in Japan (1 unread)
hayatblog (1 unread)
Hesitant Bahrani
Hypnotic Verses
I ramble on and on and on....
Impression of the Butteryfly
Insanity
It's About Nothing....
Jaffar
Jamal-Ateeq
Just a Simple... Insana
Kalinka
kharbashat
lamontami.com
layal7
Life In Bahrain
lizardo
Looking for Dilmun
Lost in Manama
lost to two seas
Love Of Bahrain *Ali Salman*حب البحرين*
M. K. Mohan
madas ayat allah
Mahmood's Den (2 unread)
Manama Republic
MaroonAlras
Matin Pur
minus
Missy..♥
Mixed Grooves
My soul is raining - don't open an umbrella
Never Lets Go
news from nowhere
No More Plastic Bags
Nomadic Ruminations
not so.. dark soul (10 unread)
Notes from behind the bike shed
Random Blog
Sabbah's Blog
Samar Al Ansari (1988-2006)
Samih and life
Sanabis (Bahrain) Daily Photo
saveabend
Saving The World Together
School Scribbles
SillyBahrainiGirl
Tabkhat Ummi
Ten Twenty-Four
That's j. Lower case j.
The Arch Nemesis
The Bahrania
The Drivel of 2 Bahrainis
The Joker
The language of jasmine
The Observer
The Twins of the Zodiac
The Unaffiliated
The way it is...
Thoughts and Ideas
قصاصات متناثرة (1 unread)
لا أدري
مغترب
Wall Scribblings
Welcome to the free club
Word on the street
Yonis's Yellow Room
ZarnooqBahrani
ثورة سلام (1 unread)
18:04
Code Text updated 6 July, ‘08