27th February 2014

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Bahrain arrests 4 for 'religious insult' on Instagram
Bahraini authorities said Thursday that four cyberactivists have been arrested for posting insults about companions of Prophet Mohammed on Instagram. The four are accused of posting on the smartphone photo-sharing service "texts and pictures damaging to companions of the (Muslim) Prophet", state news agency BNA reported. It said they were arrested after an investigation of users of the Instagram account and would be put on trial, without identifying the suspects. The companions of Prophet Mohammed are revered by Sunni Muslims. Read More residents ''not to get involved in conicts outside of Bahrain'' and 'not to join extremist, religious or political groups on the list of organizations believed to be involved in terrorism''. Active participation as well as nancial and moral support to ''groups considered a threat to the security and stability of the country and the region'' are punishable by law. Bahrain is ruled by a Sunni dynasty but has a Shiite-majority population that says it is discriminated against. Read More

Bahrain security forces disperse peaceful demonstration over 23-year-old's death

The Saudi-backed forces clashed with the demonstrators after surrounding them in the village of Daih in the west of the capital, Manama, on Wednesday. The forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the peaceful protest.

The demonstration was held to condemn the death of Jaffer al-Durazi, 23, who died at hospital the day before. Durazi, who was in the Al Khalifa regimes custody since December 2013, was suffering from sickle-cell anemia and died because of torture and lack of medical treatment. The Bahraini activist was admitted to hospital on February 19. "He told us he had been subjected to electrical shocks while they questioned him," one of Durazis relatives said on condition of anonymity. Read More

Bahrain cracks down on those enlisting to fight abroad

Bahrain is cracking down on its citizens that opt to take part in conicts beyond its national borders, warning them that they will be subject to prosecution under the country's antiterrorism law. The interior ministry of the small oil-rich emirate has circulated a document advising its