16-17th June 2012

BAHRAIN MEDIA ROUNDUP

U.S. may have less Mideast clout, uses it with care
Events in Egypt, Bahrain and Syriaillustrate the limits of U.S. influence in the Middle East following the Arab Spring and a U.S. reluctance, at times, to exercise such clout as it has. Court rulings in Egypt and in Bahrain this week, analysts say, show the ruling authorities' desire to maintain their grip on power and the United States' limited ability to shape events despite its general support for democracy. After decades in which Washington has been the region's dominant outside player, deploying its military to guarantee the flow of oil and its diplomatic muscle to advance peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, the prodemocracy demonstrations of the Arab Spring appear to have changed the equation. Read More Scripps Howard, Robert F Kennedy Centre and Amnesty International.

Arab Spring undone?

A large part of the blame for the Bahraini regimes actions can be placed on the shoulders of the US and its ally Saudia Arabia. While Washington was willing to go to war in Libya to oust the Gaddafi government and has publicly supported revolution in Egypt and

Syria, it remains one of the biggest supporters of the regime in Bahrain. It continues to arm the monarch even though it is clear that he is at war with his people. Pakistan, too, does not have clean hands here. It has always been close to the king and a lot of the police actions against the protestors have been carried out by Pakistani mercenaries. Read More Al-Naham was shot by security forces last week as he helped his father run his fish stall. His father was also injured in the attack. The Ministry of Interior later released a statement admitting that their representatives had shot the child and his father, but said they were innocent bystanders who were accidentally shot while the army were trying to disperse an anti-government protest. Read More

Further accolade for Al Jazeera's Bahrain documentary

The Golden Nymph for the best news documentary at the 52nd Annual Monte Carlo TV Festival has been awarded to Al Jazeera English for its much praised programme about Bahrain's failed revolution, Shouting in the Dark. The documentary, first shown in August 2011, has also scooped gongs from the Foreign Press Association, George Polk,

"I am truly honoured and overwhelmed to receive yet another prestigious award," said A five-year-old child has May Ying Welsh, who shot and been partially blinded after being shot by security forces filmed Shouting in the Dark. in Bahrain. "The Bahraini authorities' restrictions on the media made it Activists said an attempt by very difficult to give the world a doctors to save Ahmed Alfull picture of the uprising and its Naham's right eye failed on Saturday, leaving him suppression. I am proud that I, unable to see out of it for the and my Bahraini field producer rest of his life. Hassan Mahfood, were able to continue filming when other journalists had been forced to leave."

Bahrain: Five year-old blinded after being shot by Bahraini security

Irish-trained surgeon sentenced to five One of the nine medics who was years in Bahrain
Read More not acquitted in the re-trial this week is Dr Ali al-Ekri who trained at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) in Dublin. His 15-year sentence was cut to five years so he still faces jail time. Another Irishtrained doctor, Bassam Dhaif, was given a shorter jail term of between a month and three years and is not expected to be imprisoned again. Read More An Irish-trained surgeon has been sentenced to five years in a Bahrain jail for taking a part in an uprising in the country last year. According to the Irish Times, an appeals court convicted the doctor, Ali alEkri, along with eight other

medical professionals, who were all given sentences between one month and five years. However, only two are expected to serve terms in prison; Dr Ekri (five years) and Ebrahim al-Demestani (three years). Dr Ali al-Ekri studied at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin. Read More

Tnaiste seeks clemency for Bahraini medics

EAMON GILMORE HAS expressed his concern over the long prison sentences handed down to a number of medical professionals in Bahrain. Bahrains appeal court acquitted nine of the medics on Thursday and cut the jail terms of nine others.

Bahrain to hold run-off poll after by-elections

The contest for the only vacant seat in Bahrains lower chamber will be conned to two male candidates after the only woman hopeful lost in the rst round of the byelections. With no clear winner emerging on Saturday, the top two of the four contestants in the Muharraq

Eighth Constituency, Sameer Kadhem who received 1,324 votes (44 per cent) and Abdul Rahman Bu Ali who got 1,140 votes (38 per cent), will face each other in the run-off within one week, the justice minister said late on Saturday following the closure of the polling stations. Under Bahrains election rules, a second round of voting is held if no candidate secures more than 50 per cent of the votes. Read More The child was transported to Salmaniya Hospital. It has not been revealed whether he had lost vision. His father said he was conscious but his injured eye could not see. Activists who were with the child in the hospital said that they were banned from speaking to the childs father about the incident after the instructions of officer Yousef Mulla Bkheit who is renowned for his torturing of the prisoners and assaulting them sexually. Read More

Bahrain mourns Saudi Prince Nayef

Bahrain is mourning Saudi Crown Prince, Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who died in a Swiss hospital yesterday. His Majesty King Hamad has ordered a threeday mourning period, starting today, during which flags will fly at half-mast in Bahrain and on embassies abroad.

His Majesty hailed Prince Nayef's contribution in serving his people and advocating Arab and Islamic causes. He paid a heartfelt tribute to Prince Nayef, praying Allah Almighty to rest his soul in eternal peace. "Bahrain stands united with Saudi Arabia in this time of sorrow and grief," His Majesty said, acknowledging the pivotal role Prince Nayef played in consolidating historic relations between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as well as his firm support to the GCC march. Read More In the capital city of Manama, forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at the protesters, who called for an end to the long-time rule of the Al Khalifa regime. The Sheikhdom has been the scene of anti-regime demonstrations since February 2011. The Manama regime forces have been cracking down on the protests ever since. Read More

Bahraini Police Fire at Chest and Left Eye of a 5 Year Old Child + Pic
In its crackdown campaign the riot police in Bahrain fired its bird gunshots at a fiveyear old child. The boy was shot in the chest and left eye. It happened in Dair village a suburb of Muharraq last Wednesday evening.

Al-Khalifa Forces Attack Peaceful Protesters

Anti-regime peaceful protesters in Bahrain have been attacked once again by the countrys Saudi-backed forces as the demonstrators continue to insist on their rightful demands.