Web law ‘threat to Arab media’
By REBECCA TORR

A NEW law to control websites and radio broadcasting in the region has been attacked by Bahrain human rights organisations under a regional campaign. Thirty-four groups, including three from Bahrain, have rejected the law stating that it is against human rights because it imposes restrictions on freedom of expression.

They add that the law is not even legitimate because it has not received the approval of parliament and legislative authorities.

The new law was signed by Information Ministers of Arab countries, including Bahrain, on February 12.

It contains 12 articles that aim to organise, broadcasting and re-broadcasting, and receive broadcasts in the Arab region.

Its goal is to pay respect to freedom of expression and spread culture through space transmission.

But human rights groups say the law is actually against freedom of expression and its main aim is to silence opponents of Arab governments who criticise their policies.

One of the organisations is the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, which is calling on the government to reject the law.

“This is not good for the Arab region. It will control media and the media must have the freedom to talk and not be controlled by the Arab governments,” society president Mohammed Al Maskati told the GDN.

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Urgent Letter

RE: Egyptian Government Suppresses Activists

Dear Messer/

1. The Office of The High Commissioner for Human Rights

2. Amnesty International

3. Human Rights Watch

4. International Federation for Human Rights

5. Article 19 – Global Campaign for Free Expression

6. FrontLine – Global Institution for the Defense of Human Rights Defenders

Kindly accept our best regards with this urgent letter:

We, Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, write to you about the serious violations committed against human rights advocators in Egypt, who disclosed many human rights violations via websites owned by Egyptian human rights organizations and weblogs, which become the main source of credible information in Egypt.

We are referring to the claim targeting the activities of the Cairo-based The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) www.hrinfo.ent. HRinfo provides data and information from and for all human rights organizations all over the Arab world. It represents a vital source and communicant between activists and their organizations. In addition, the claim is targeting bloggers Manal Hassan and Alaa Seif www.manalaa.net who utilized their own sources to unveil routine torture incidents in Egyptian prisons.

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Cairo – 31 January 2007

The Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (HRinfo) and Arab Program for Human Rights Activists (APHRA) condemn the prevention of Mohamed Al-Maskati, human rights activist and Director of Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR) from entering Egypt today. The Cairo Airport Security Service held Al-Maskati in custody for more than 12 hours at the airport before he was deported back to Bahrain.

Al-Maskati (20 years-old) arrived at Cairo airport early this morning to participate in the seminar titled “The Role of Youth in Supporting Freedoms and Democracy” which is to be hold by BYSHR and APHRA today.

HRinfo and APHRA consider the prevention of Al-Maskati from entering Egypt a clear example on the cooperation between security bureaus of Arab ministries of interior, with the purpose to hinder and even punish Arab human rights activists who are well-known for their credibility and good reputation. Al-Maskati is one of the Bahraini activists who bravely disclosed the illegal involvement of the Bahraini government into Al-Bandar Gate. In addition, he recently participated in a peaceful rally before the Egyptian embassy in Bahrain in protest on the detention of Kareem Amer, the Egyptian blogger who is going to be tried in Alexandria tomorrow morning.

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