Bahrain suspends Al-Wasat, further restricting press freedom

6 June 2017 – Two days ago, on 4 June 2017, Bahrain’s Ministry of Information Affairs (MIA) indefinitely suspended both the print and online publication of Al-Wasat, Bahrain’s only independent newspaper. This move came in response to an article in Al-Wasat’s 4 June issue in which the author discussed events related to ongoing unrest in[…]

Dispatch: Bahrain Newspapers Sign Restrictive “Charter of Press Ethics”

On 2 December 2015, the Government of Bahrain announced that the editors-in-chief of Bahrain’s six daily newspapers had reviewed and agreed to a new “Charter of Press Ethics” with the Ministry of Information Affairs Authority (IAA). Spearheaded by the Information and Parliamentary Affairs (IPA) Ministry, IPA Minister Isa bin Abdulrahman Al Hammadi stressed that the[…]

Bahrain Charges Al-Wasat Journalist with Terrorism

After his arbitrary arrest on 28 December, the Bahraini Interior Ministry named journalist Mahmood al-Jazeeri, a reporter for Al-Wasat News, as among those arrested for allegedly plotting terrorist attacks funded by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah, the veracity of which has been questioned by experts. On 31 December, al-Jazeeri’s lawyer told al-Wasat, “prosecutors had[…]