Not that I love Akhbar Al-Khaleej, nothing could be more remote from the truth, but my feeling for this decrepit paper, its publisher or some of its so called journalists is completely immaterial, but it should not have been banned under whatever reason given or withheld by whatever organ of government dictating this latest ban on freedom of speech.

Rumour has it that the reason for the ban is this excellent Muharraqi cartoon. In it, a hand captioned as Official Media is trying to cover the truth unsuccessfully.

My sources tell me that the paper was banned due to a rather cutting article by the infamous Shura Council MP Ms. Sameera Rajab who is no stranger to controversy. She is loathed by a great swathe of people in Bahrain due to her background and rather critical writings especially about the Shi’a and their beliefs. It is also no secret that she detests the regime in Iran and has been very sympathetic to the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussain.

Regardless, banning a paper because of a column is a slap in the face of the freedom of information that the Ministry has been at pains to promote – rather paradoxically, especially that it has made it their professional hobby to block websites.

Sameera Rajab is free to her own opinion, and regardless of what she has written criticising the Iranian regime, neither the paper nor she should have been banned from publication. If the government of Iran – if the information is correct – has an issue with the article, they are free to respond in kind, rather than crying to a boneless ministry who has acquiesced to a foreign power’s request rather than stand up for freedoms which should be its main purpose in life to protect.

I’ve just compiled a new list of blocked websites in Bahrain and I was able to find most of the administrative order numbers instructing ISPs to block them. The new list is available here.

Should you have any information about this issue, please do contact me in confidence.

It looks like there is a new admin for this area for RSF… there must be, as their latest press release about Bahrain is a bit, well, unduly strong. I would have thought that they could be a little bit more politically cognizant and temper it down a bit.

Saying something like:

Determined to oppose the continuation of your current Internet policies, we hope you will take account of this new request to let your subjects express themselves online and allow the Internet to develop freely. We remind you that we already told you of our concern in April 2005 about your government’s adoption of a regulation requiring websites dealing with Bahrain to register with the information ministry.

my emphasis

will most definitely and resolutely burn any remaining bridges between the Bahraini government and RSF, rendering any good that RSF hopes to achieve to be close to zero.

I am not saying that our government’s policy as far as censorship (Internet or otherwise) is correct, far from it, in fact I totally oppose it, but for RSF to go to this level of Bolshiness is immature, inconsiderate and politically incorrect.

Much more important than that, they do our cause no good whatsoever by isolating themselves in such a matter.

I guess this is one situation where a champion turned into an ogre?

hat tip: Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace

We’re back!

Thanks again… to everyone, and to Dr. Yateem, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Information and the Minister for proving that they are understanding and reasonable people.

I’m not sure how many countries in the world that a citizen can go and meet such high up people, discuss issues with them in a calm and open manner, while those officials knowing full well that that person in front of them has mercilessly criticized them in writing and on several occasions (the latest of which is just this morning!) and they still do not take things personally, but keep professional and find a to diffuse such a situation as this; but there couldn’t be many.

So regardless of our differences, I am honoured to have met these gentlemen and thank them once again for their efforts, and hope that they will continue to accept criticism without taking them too personally, for the good of Bahrain. And invite them, to jump in and comment and rebut any argument and article I put forth here, and hope that I too would be good enough to accept their criticisms with the same spirit.

So that page of our story is over… I’m now looking forward to the new page, one in which we can benefit from each other’s experiences, and can discuss matters which affect our country and our countrymen with the same understanding exhibited in this situation.

The next step for us, gentlemen, is to enact those 6 points suggested by the RSF which I have submitted to you and hope that they will be put into your consideration for any new legislation concerning the internet.

I am available to continue our discussions at your convenience.

Thank you, once again, to everyone.

Onward!

I would like to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation for both Mohammed Al-Maskati (emoodz.com) and Esra’a Ahmed (mideastyouth.com) for their unstinting support they have offered and their trials to unblock my blog.

Their efforts, created websites, and brilliant creative ideas and passion demonstrated to protect the freedom of speech in Bahrain is a testament to their patriotism and humanity.

Thank you very much to you, and to everyone else in and out of Bahrain who have offered their much needed support at this time.

Thank you.

The government is apparently using two things to prosecute websites:

1. The refusal of websites to register with the Ministry of Information
2. The publishing of anything to do with bandargate

Ok, fine. I wonder how the authorities will react if ALL blogs based in or concerned with Bahrain started writing about bandargate! Will they go ahead and prosecute us all?

How about it guys?

Do you want to register with them?
Will you write about the Bandargate report?

It would be fun to have 10s if not 100s of anonymous websites done by Bahrainis in or out of Bahrain doing that!

Just a thought.

MANAMA, Oct 31 (Reuters) – Bahrain has blocked several Web sites for violating a reporting ban in the case of a government adviser who was deported after alleging election irregularities.

Authorities imposed a ban on publishing information about the case of the adviser, British citizen Salah al-Bander, who was sacked and deported to Britain in September for what a minister said was an attempt to foment civil strife in the Gulf state.

The case, known as Bandergate, initially made headlines in the country which is due to hold parliamentary and municipal elections on Nov. 25. Officials say the reporting ban was imposed to ensure an impartial investigation.

“The information ministry has decided to close a number of Bahraini and foreign Web sites … These sites transgressed a legal decision prohibiting the discussion of the case of the accused Salah al-Bander,” Hassan Oun, director of press and publications at the ministry, said in a statement.

“The information ministry will refer the owners of these sites to the judges for not cooperating and complying with the law,” said the statement obtained by Reuters on Tuesday.

Among the blocked Web sites was popular Bahraini blog www.mahmood.tv which is often a forum for political debate and government criticism. It re-opened under www.alyousif.tv, with a photograph of site owner Mahmood al-Yousif wearing a gag.

“It’s unreasonable. Whether you like it or not, everybody is discussing the Bandergate issue,” Yousif told Reuters. “The main issue here is much bigger than Bandergate or registering Web sites. They’re trying to get us to rescind our public freedoms.”

An Information Ministry official, who declined to be named, said some sites were blocked because they did not register with the government. The official said the law requiring registration aimed to prevent misinformation and insults against the state.

Sectarian tensions often cast a shadow over politics in Bahrain, a U.S. ally which is ruled by Sunni Muslims but has a Shi’ite majority.

((Reporting by Mohammed Abbas; editing by Robert Woodward; +973-1752 4430; Fax + 973 17536194; Email: dubai.newsroom@reuters.com))

The story is now on the wires, that means by tomorrow morning hundreds of papers will pick it up…

and I have just been informed that the Ministry of Information has submitted cases against “websites” with the Public Prosecutor who, in turn, started its investigation over the Ministry’s claims.

I fervently hope that the Public Prosecutor will show its independence by throwing the cases out, as they should be.

The I Want My MTV crew started a new petition which I would like you to consider to sign please. Click here to view the new petition.

Do you Digg? If you do, please digg this story, this will emphasize and explode our campaign.

It seems that all the papers are carrying this story this morning!

Thank you all once again for your tremendous support. We shall win this!

The good guys at IWantMyMTV and HAMSA have released a petition to unblock my blog. Please consider adding your signature in support of free speech in Bahrain.

Thank you.

iwantmymtv.org website launched!

A couple of Bahrainis who too are disgusted with the arbitrary censorship have launched a new site in response to the blocking of Mahmood’s Den by the Ministry of disInformation! Thanks very much for your support guys. The website redirects to Bahrain Uncensored whose mission is:

This web initiative was triggered by the recent blocking of Mahmood’s Den, the famous Bahrain-based blog. Bahrain Uncensored is our way of working towards a democratic Bahrain, where human rights are valued and ensured. This website is further proof of the fact that the Bahraini nation is well aware of the unnecessary actions taken by the Ministry of Information and refuse to be silenced. We will not give up, nor will we ever feign disinterest in the political culture of this country merely because it’s “risky” to do so. We want, need, and expect our rights to be respected by a government that claims to value them. We want proof, through actions and not just words, that this country is heading towards a democracy.
read full mission statement

Bahrain is in really good shape when its citizens care about issues like this, and more importantly refuse to just lie down and take whatever the authorities foist on them.

And the guys have organised a petition to unblock the site too! Read more about it here and if you would consider signing it when it is published, I would be thankful.

I am indebted to you for this effort and thank you with all my heart for this noble gesture.

Well, the original URL might be blocked (temporarily, I am sure, sanity WILL prevail), but I’ve set up a new mirror on http://alyousif.tv which you can access without recourse to an anonymiser. The upside is that all of the links work too!

And if they block this one, I’ve got another one ready.

And then yet another!

Democracy?

Human rights?

Freedom of Expression?

President of the UN?

XIX

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which the Bahraini Government is a signatory of states:

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 Bahraini Constitution’s Guarantees of Freedom of Speech

Article 23 of the Bahrain Constitution: Freedom of opinion and scientific research is guaranteed. Everyone has the right to express his opinion and publish it by word of mouth, in writing or otherwise under the rules and conditions laid down by law, provided that the fundamental beliefs of Islamic doctrine are not infringed, the unity of the people is not prejudiced, and discord or sectarianism is not aroused.

Article 24 of the Bahrain Constitution: With due regard for the provisions of the preceding Article, the freedom of the press, printing and publishing is guaranteed under the rules and conditions laid down by law.

Article 26 of the Bahrain Constitution: The freedom of postal, telegraphic and electronic communication is safeguarded and its confidentiality is guaranteed. Communications shall not be censored or their confidentiality breached except in exigencies specified by law and in accordance with procedures and under guarantees prescribed by law.

new slogan for the Ministry of disInformation launched:

ُthanks for coining this mate!

Mahmood’s Den blocking order signed by the Minister of disInformation

Did I mention that these lists of “undesirable” sites are compiled most probably by our illustrious Jamal Dawood, the guy implicated in the bandargate scandal for accepting a kickback of BD2,200. Yes I know he’s cheap, and he’s still running for parliament! The guy has no shame whatsoever!

Ah, how wonderful…

I just heard confirmed news that this site (Mahmood’s Den) will be blocked effective immediately, together with 6 others (don’t know which yet) by order of the Minister of Information.

The memo has been printed and delivered to all the ISP’s this afternoon apparently. I am yet to receive my copy.

But if I go off the air for too long, you know the reason, and it’s not inconceivable that prisons will be used to silence criticism.

You know what to do if this site DOES in fact become blocked… you know the required tools to unblock it.