The Definitive SourceAnnouncements
AP and other news organizations call for press freedom in Bahrain
The Associated Press has joined with other news organizations in signing a letter to King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, calling on him to instruct his government to allow journalists to freely operate in the country.
“Recent actions have had a chilling effect on the media’s ability to cover Bahrain at a time when the country faces a growing set of challenges,” says the letter dated April 27 and released today.
The letter reads as follows:
Your Majesty,
We write today to express our collective concern about Bahrain’s seeming attempt to silence independent reporting within the country.
The government has over the past year refused to grant accreditation to several of its own citizens who report for foreign and independent media, including those working for The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, France 24, and Monte Carlo Doualiya. It has on multiple occasions not granted media visas to foreign journalists seeking entry. One of the Bahraini journalists refused a routine accreditation renewal, Nazeeha Saeed, now faces prosecution for continuing to work.
As recently as last month, Mohammed Al-Shaikh, who worked as a photographer for Agence France-Presse until Bahraini authorities refused to renew his accreditation last year, was arrested upon his return from a trip overseas and held for more than 24 hours over his work for AFP.
For several days in January, the government of Bahrain banned Al-Wasat newspaper from publishing online. In rescinding that order, the government warned all media outlets to avoid “posting anything that incites divisions or discord within the community, undermines national unity or disturbs the peace.”
That wording is so broad that it could be used to justify targeting almost any legitimate newsgathering that authorities do not like. We strongly call on the government to reverse these needless policies.
These recent actions have had a chilling effect on the media’s ability to cover Bahrain at a time when the country faces a growing set of challenges. The apparently coordinated action against journalists working for international news agencies suggests that Bahrain—which prides itself as being a business friendly, reform-minded beacon of openness and tolerance—aims to block independent news and images from reaching the wider world.
We collectively call on you to instruct your government to allow journalists to freely operate in Bahrain and to give foreign media organizations equal access to the country. We welcome the opportunity to discuss the matter further.
Sincerely,
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Agence France-Presse (AFP)
The Associated Press (AP)
France 24
International Press Institute (IPI)
Monte Carlo Doualiya
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
