15th April 2013

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

Bahrain backs 5-year jail sentences for insults to king
Bahrains government has backed proposals to impose penalties of up ve years in prison for insulting the Gulf states king or its national symbols, the media said Monday. Its the latest move across the region against dissent on the streets and online. Gulf leaders have sharply escalated efforts to muzzle criticism since the Arab Spring uprisings, which include more than two years of clashes between Sunni-led authorities and majority Shiites seeking a greater political voice. Bahrains Cabinet approved proposals to impose jail terms up to ve years and nes of 10,000 dinars ($26,500) for defaming the king or Bahrains ag or coat of arms. Its unclear how widely the new laws could be applied, but antigovernment protests often include chants against the king in the strategic island nation, which is home to the U.S. Navys 5th Fleet. Read More

Sitra at centre of new Bahrain uprising

When Bahrains King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa began reforms to revive parliamentary democracy in 2001, the clearest seal of approval came from the small, restive island of Sitra. After seven years of insurgency and repression, residents lifted the visiting kings car in the air in tribute. The jubilation did not last long, however. The opposition says any real

reforms were quickly watered down, the parliament merely a rubber stamp for government policy. That festering discontent exploded two years ago when the majority Shia population, inspired by the Arab uprisings, took to the streets in what was the most serious unrest in the kingdoms history. Now as the ofcial opposition al-Wefaq talks to the government and its backers from the Sunni minority, Sitra is once again the heartland of a new uprising. Read More Ecclestone said he could see "no reason" why the race, which was cancelled in 2011 after an uprising but went ahead despite demonstrations last year, should not be a success. "Yes. There's no reason why it shouldn't be (a success)," Ecclestone told AFP at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Read More going to have your race on our honoured blood.

Bahrains Women Confront Regime Mercenaries

From the roof of a ramshackle house, in a neighborhood eaten away by poverty that has spread like the plague in a village consumed by protests, the camera moves steadily and records a young civilian woman wrapped in her black cloak. Holding her 3year-old childs hand, she drags him behind her and

walks angrily while she waves with the palm of her hand in the direction of a group of more than ve mercenaries standing before her in the middle of the neighborhood. They are armed with shotgun shells and rubber bullets, toxic gas bombs and sticks, while her only weapon is her courage and her bitter cries that penetrate the unheard screams of female silence. With her pronounced rural accent, she shouts at them: Read More A week of protests to coincide with the race began on Friday, organised by the opposition to the ruling royal family. The New York Times reported that authorities in Bahrain were increasing security following a series of explosions in the country. Read More

Ecclestone dismisses F1 Bahrain concerns

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed concerns over this week's Bahrain Grand Prix after pro-democracy protests escalated and a militant group blew up a car in the capital Manama.

Bahrain Grand Prix: Bernie Ecclestone backs race to go ahead

Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says there is "no reason" why this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix should not go ahead.

Bahrain on fire but race goes ahead - No grand prix on our blood, protestors tell Ecclestone
Protestors in Bahrain are campaigning for Sundays Formula One Grand Prix to be called off, telling Bernie Ecclestone: You are not

But despite ve antigovernment demonstrations yesterday and four minor explosions which caused no injuries on Sunday night there is no chance of motor racings most controversial race being called off. Read More

Bernie stays calm

Bernie Ecclestone has dismissed concerns over this weeks Bahrain Grand Prix as prodemocracy protests threaten to overshadow the event for the third year running.

In 2011, the race was cancelled after an uprising and last year the grand prix went ahead despite demonstrations. But Formula One supremo Ecclestone (left) said: Theres no reason why it shouldnt be [a success]. Read More

still likely to take place against a background of security concerns.

Tension grows as F1 circus returns to Bahrain

Formula One is bracing for the return to Bahrain this weekend amid fresh protests about the staging of a grand prix in a country still riven by sectarian and political divisions. While the level of unease about the event taking place is not on a scale of recent years, it is

enjoyable time they have at the race."

The protests prompted the cancellation of the 2011 race and vast security measures to allow the 2012 event to proceed, but thousands still demonstrated on Friday against the race. Organisers of the protests said more demonstrations were planned. Read More been parked in front of the Bahrain Financial Harbour (BFH). "The car was not parked on the road. It was parked in a parking area in front of the Bahrain Financial Harbour," an Interior Ministry ofcial told the newspaper. "There were no damages to the surrounding properties and no injuries. Police, Civil Defence and the explosives detection unit were called to the scene. A full investigation will be launched." Read More The attacks caused no injuries and limited damage, but sent a message that anti-government militants could step up violence before Sunday's Formula One race, the premier international event in the kingdom. Read More

Bahrain Is Becoming Even More Repressive Because of the F1 Race

The promoters of Bahrain's Grand Prix urge you to "Imagine your moment." It's a great slogan. It's supposed to reect "the excitement from all Formula 1 fans... as well as all the memorable moments people create during the

The Bahrain Grand Prix will occur later this month despite the controversy of holding the race amid a erce government crackdown on political dissent and increasingly violent protests. The 2011 race was cancelled due to the country's turmoil, but last year's Grand Prix went on anyway. Read More week, Amnesty International said. According to state media, Bahrains cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister and the newly appointed deputy Prime Minister, the Crown Prince on Sunday endorsed an amendment to Article 214 of the Penal Code, increasing the penalty for offending King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah or the countrys ag and other national symbols. Read More against the coming F1 race in Manama, as Anonymous warns a new OpBahrain is on. In their latest move against the dissent on the streets and in cyberspace, the Gulf states leaders have backed the proposals to prosecute the protesters with real jail terms. Read More

F1 protestors target Bahrain Financial Harbour

Protests against this weekends Bahrain Grand Prix have targeted the countrys nancial centre as part of a series of simultaneous attacks. According to the Gulf Daily News, a series of explosions took place around Manama at around 8.30 pm on Sunday night. These included the detonation of a gas cylinder inside a stolen car that had

Bahrain: New move to crush dissent ahead of Grand Prix

A move by Bahrains government to jail anyone found guilty of insulting the Gulf nations King for up to ve years is a new attempt to crush dissent before the country hosts the Formula One Grand Prix later this

Bahrain boosts Grand Prix security

Bahrain has vowed to step up security ahead of next weekend's Grand Prix after a series of explosions, including a gas cylinder blast that set a car ablaze in the Gulf nation's nancial district.

Anonymous to strike as Bahrain backs jail sentences for king insults

The Bahraini government on Monday approved proposals to impose jail terms of up to 5 years for insulting the countrys king and national symbols. It comes amid protests

Anonymous Operation Bahrain #opBahrain

Greetings World, We are Anonymous. And we have watched since the

last Grand Prix F1 race in Manama, Bahrain. Since last year, we have had millions of eyes trained on the continuing oppression of our freedom loving brethren in Bahrain by the self-made "{King}" in Manama. Read More

Bahrain F1: Anonymous ReLaunches OpBahrain Against Grand Prix [VIDEO]

The Anonymous hacking collective has threatened to take ofinethe websites of Formula 1 Grand Prix and the Bahraini government in support of pro-democracy protests in the Gulf kingdom. In a statement, the hacktivists pledged to Bahrain's royal family to

"wreck your little party against Mr [Bernie] Ecclestone". "Anonymous will not stand by and allow you a race fuelled by the blood of our freedom-loving comrades in Bahrain," reads the statement. "We will remove you from the world wide web, whether you be Grand Prix or Bahrain government - we shall take it all down. We will expose the personal data of any person who supports this race in any way." Read More as police and protesters clashed. Twelve months on and the daily struggle continues for the mainly Shiite opposition who seek reform from the minority Sunni rulers. Only yesterday a series of four minor explosions occurred, with no injuries, which concluded with a gas canister blast inside a stolen car in the Financial District. Read More "A terrorist group used a gas cylinder to burn a car in Manama at night on Sunday causing an explosion," the statement said. The radical youth movement February 14 claimed responsibility in a statement on its Twitter account, saying the aim was to disrupt "activity in Manama's nancial centre in opposition to holding the Formula One race" next Sunday. Read More

Anonymous hackers threaten Ecclestone with online anarchy unless he calls off Bahrain Grand Prix
Cyber anarchists Anonymous are again vowing to disrupt this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix. A year ago, the internet hacking organisation threw a spanner in the works of the formula1.com website

under the title of 'Operation Bahrain' at a time when tensions were high ahead of the race. It was a grand prix that went ahead against a volatile backdrop and with calls for it to be cancelled as police and protesters clashed. Twelve months on and the daily struggle continues for the mainly Shiite opposition who seek reform from the minority Sunni rulers. Read More response to alleged human rights abuses and the heavy-handed treatment of pro-democracy protesters in the Gulf state. Four minor explosions in the capital Manama yesterday were the latest examples of continuing unrest in the nation. And now Anonymous says it will relaunch its online war on the race and the Bahraini government in support of the demonstrators. Read More Financial Harbour district of the city.

Anonymous make fresh Bahrain threat

A year ago, the internet hacking organisation threw a spanner in the works of the formula1.com website under the title of Operation Bahrain, and at a time when tensions were high ahead of the race. It was a grand prix that went ahead against a volatile backdrop, and with calls for it to be cancelled

Hactivists Anonymous threaten to wreck Bahrain Grand Prix

Cyber anarchist group Anonymous has threatened to wreck this weekends Bahrain Grand Prix in a renewed attack on the blood race. The hacking organisation brought down the formula1.com website on the eve of last years race in

Car blast hits Bahrain ahead of F1: police

A Bahraini youth opposition group on Monday said it blew up a car in Manama overnight in an incident the authorities blamed on a "terrorist group" just days ahead of the country's Formula One Grand Prix. There were no casualties in the blast and no damage other than to the car, police said in a statement.

Car blast in Bahrain heightens F1 security concerns

A car explosion in the heart of the Bahraini capital Manama has heightened security concerns ahead of Sunday's Formula 1 Grand Prix. The blast occurred late on Sunday night in the

An opposition group calling itself the February 14 movement has claimed it was behind the blast. The Ministry of Interior acknowledged the blast and said it had caused no casualties. Read More

Bahrain blasts stoke fears before F1 race

A series of explosions in Bahrain has raised security fears ahead of the kingdoms premier international sporting event, the F1 Grand Prix motor race, scheduled for this weekend. The interior ministry said on Monday it would boost

security after terrorists ignited a gas canister in a car in the central commercial district of the capital late on Sunday. The blast outside the Bahrain Financial Harbour was accompanied by three other explosions on the outskirts of the capital Manama, with the February 14 youth movement claiming responsibility for the attacks and pledging more operations. Read More claimed responsibility for the bomb on its Twitter account and has pledged more operations. Thankfully no one was injured in these explosions, but there have been casualties in previous violent protests, said Human Rights Firsts Brian Dooley. If these bombings continue, there will inevitably be more injuries and deaths. Such attacks are wrong, increase the polarization in an already deeply divided society, and arent the way to achieve democracy in Bahrain. Read More

Bahrain F1: Car Bomb Hits Capital Manama

A car blast has hit the Bahraini capital of Manama ahead of Sunday's controversial Formula 1 Grand Prix. The explosion took place in the Financial Harbour

district and left no casualties, according to the Bahraini ministry of interior. "A terrorist group used a gas cylinder to burn a car in Manama at night on Sunday causing an explosion, causing no damage," read an ofcial statement. Read More

Car bomb hits Bahrain ahead of F1 race

A bomb went off in the heart of Bahraini capital of Manama on Sunday, as thekingdom gears to host the F1 race, police ofcer told Xinhua. "The bomb was planted in a car near a commercial

center in Manama. No damage wasreported," he said. He added that the bombing occurred a few kilometers away from a ve-star hotel, wheremembers of a F1 team stayed. Police cordoned off the area and an investigation was launched. Read More

Violent Protests in Bahrain Increase Polarization

Promises of more violent operations like yesterdays bombing in the Financial Harbour of Manama, Bahrain, are a deeply disturbing sign that violent protest is gaining a stronger foothold in the country, Human Rights First said today. The Financial Harbour bomb was accompanied by three others explosions around Bahrains capital city yesterday. The February 14 youth movement reportedly