10th/ 11th September 2013

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Bahrain raps UN rights chief's comments
Bahraini legislators have lashed out at "one-sided" comments by the UN human rights chief, who directed criticism at the country during the 24th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, a report said. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay claimed there was a lack of co-operation between the UN body and the Bahraini government, which she accused of not implementing recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), according to the report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication. However, parliament's human rights committee chairman MP Abdul Hakim Al Shammari described her comments as being "dictated by opposition groups". Read More Under a decision announced by the justice ministry last month, all contacts between Bahraini political societies and diplomatic missions and consulates in Bahrain or foreign organisations and government institutions or representatives of foreign governments must be done in coordination with the foreign ministry. Read More

Is Bahrain's Fate Tied to Syrian War?

To see how things are going in Manama these days, one need only look at the ghting in Damascus. As the possibility that the US and allied forces will conduct a military strike against Syria grows, the deck of cards in Bahrain, the small Gulf archipelago mired in sectarian division, is getting reshufed.

On Aug. 28, the Bahraini opposition resumed talks with government representatives after a twomonth hiatus. But, remarkably, the local media focused on the discussions regarding the Syrian le. The Akhbar al-Khaleej newspaper, which is afliated with the prime minister, ran a storyheadlined:Regional Events Have Strongly Imposed Themselves in the Dialogue Hall. Read More called on the regime to respect the rights to freedoms of expression, peaceful assembly and association. Despite spending millions of dollars on public relations, the Bahraini regime is learning that its international reputation is falling and more countries are willing to take a stand against its repression, said Human Rights Firsts Brian Dooley. The way to stop this sort of criticism is to introduce real reform and to x the problems, not just pretend to. Read More statement issued on Wednesday.

Bahrain insists on regulating foreign contacts

A decision to regulate contacts between Bahraini political societies and foreign diplomats and delegates does not include public meetings, such as evening gatherings at majlises in Ramadan, the month of fasting, the justice minister has said.

47 Countries Sign Bahrain Statement at U.N. Human Rights Council

Human Rights First welcomes yesterdays statement signed by 47 countries, including the United States, that expresses concern over human rights violations in Bahrain. The statement comes off the heels of remarks made this week by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay, who

U.S. Ambassador Donahoe Hits Back at Bahraini Media Distortion of Meeting with Regime Officials
Once again the Bahraini media has proven that it plays fast and loose with the truth in its reporting of the regimes meetings with foreign diplomats. An article

in todays English-language Gulf Daily News claimed that U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Human Rights Council at Geneva Eileen Donahoe refuted remarks made by earlier in the week by the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay in which she criticized the government of Bahrain. Read More

Bahraini lawmaker grilled over WikiLeaks allegation

Bahrain's parliament has demanded one of its members come clean of "secret meetings" revealed by WikiLeaks with US diplomats or face "tough actions," according to a

Osama Al Tamimi was alleged by WikiLeaks to have had "secret meetings" with US embassy ofcials to serve their interests. Local media also reported speculations that Tamimi and his family were offered US citizenship. Read More