(BCHR/IFEX) - The following is an abridged 3 May 2008 BCHR press release:

On World Press Freedom Day: A Report by a Regional Group Calls for Reforming the Media in Bahrain; The BCHR Calls for Discussing Report Findings and Implementing Its Recommendations

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/08/04/24/10208133.html

04/28/2008 08:10 AM | By Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief

Adel Marzooq was deeply anguished, but the veteran columnist felt he had to write the painful truth: Bahrain is no longer the postcard image that he had known since his birth.

His homeland, regarded as one of the most peaceful places on earth, is turning into two antagonistic countries at the hands of its own sons and daughters stubbornly engaged in callous and immoral hostility over sectarian ideologies.

Country/Topic: Bahrain
Date: 29 April 2008
Source: Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
Person(s):
Target(s): other
Type(s) of violation(s): threatened
Urgency: Threat
(BCHR/IFEX) - A high Bahraini security officer informed Karbabad Matam, an events venue in Manama, that it was not allowed to hold a public conference scheduled for 25 April 2008. The security officer stated that, if necessary, the Security Special Forces (SSF) would intervene by force to prevent the event from taking place. The organisers of the event told BCHR that these threats were made by the head of the Exhibition police station on 24 April.

(BCHR/IFEX) - The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights is concerned by the use of the repressive and widely condemned Press Decree Code 47 (2002) against a local journalist and news editor.

Jaafar Al Jamry from "Al Wasat" newspaper was handed a BD 150 (approx. US$396) fine by judges at the High Criminal Court on 16 April 2008. He was charged with publishing defamatory remarks and false information about an employee at the Health Ministry.

Judge refused release of detainees and postponed case until May 11th

At about 10am yesterday, the heading judge of the Higher Criminal Court, Shaikh Mohamed Al-Khalifa, postponed the prosecution of the December incident detainees to May 11th (Blaze of the patrol vehicle and alleged missing weapon).

A Second Crackdown on Activists in Four Months:
Detainees, Including Minors, are under serious risk of Torture and Unfair Trials

17 April 2008

Amounting Unrest and Violations in Bahrain

A Second Crackdown on Activists in Four Months:
Detainees, Including Minors, are under serious risk of Torture and Unfair Trials

17 April 2008

JOINT ACTION: Arab League's proposed satellite broadcasting regulations would impede needed criticism of corruption and repression, warn 34 organisations

Date: 07 March 2008

(HRinfo/IFEX) - The following is a 5 March 2008 joint statement by HRinfo, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS) and 31 other organisations:

34 International and Arabian Human Rights Organisations declare: The document of organizing space transmission is invalid through its form and content

April 7, 2008

The government has done little to institutionalize in law protection of basic rights in the aftermath of the important reforms decreed by the king, Shaikh Hamad bin `Isa Al Khalifa in 2001-02. New laws have been adopted containing provisions that undermine freedom of assembly, association and expression. The Human Rights Council, in its review of Bahrain�s human rights record, should assess this legislation and recommend steps to bring existing legislation, especially in the areas of freedom of association, freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and accountability for grave crimes such as torture, into compliance with international human rights standards.

http://www.fidh.org/spip.php?article5400

Monday Recommendations to the Government of Bahrain on the occasion of the 1st Universal Periodic Review Session, April 20087 April 2008

Recommendations to the Government of Bahrain on the occasion of the 1st Universal Periodic Review Session, April 2008

Issued by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations in Bahrain, the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) and the Bahrain Human Rights Society (BHRS)

1.Equality and non-discrimination

Posted : Mon, 07 Apr 2008 17:13:12 GMT
Author : DPA
Category : World
News Alerts by Email click here )
Create your own RSS

World News | Home

Geneva - The UN Human Rights Council's new mechanism for examining the human rights record of all 192 UN members in a rolling programme was put to the test for the first time Monday. Bahrain was among the first wave of 16 countries chosen to be scrutinized under the so-called universal periodic review mechanism in this first session which lasts until April 18.