In the Middle East and North Africa , where political change occurs slowly, blogging has becomes a serious medium for social and political commentary as well as a target of government suppression. By Mohamed Abdel Dayem
Committee to Protect Journalists
Bahrain
In Middle East,
bloggers face attack
Blogging is the crucial front in the struggle for freedom of expression in the region, CPJ says in a new report. From Iran to Tunisia, authorities rewrite laws and deploy technology to block online reporting. Egyptian blogger Karim Amer, left, is among those jailed.• Française • العربية • فارسى
On the CPJ Blog, posts from:
• Egypt • Tunisia • Iran
In our special report “Middle East Bloggers: The Street Leads Online,” CPJ’s Mohamed Abdel Dayem says blogging has become a crucial front in the region's struggle for freedom of expression. Here, Abdel Dayem describes how two regional trends--booming Internet audiences and repression of traditional media--have made blogging a vibrant news alternative. Listen to the mp3 on the player above, or right click here to download. (2:05)
Your Majesty: The Committee to Protect Journalists is writing to protest the recent deterioration of press freedom in Bahrain and your government's ongoing campaign against critical or opposition Web sites and blogs. The crackdown against those sites has resulted in dozens of them being blocked inside the kingdom, according to local and international human rights and press freedom watchdogs.
Attacks on the Press
| Algeria, Bahrain, France, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Mauritania, Qatar, Sudan, Syria
Attacks and developments throughout the region
Oped
| Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, UAE
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Arabic Satellite Channels and Censorship By Joel Campagna Committee to Protect Journalists |
Bahrain
The government uses a number of tools to hinder independent reporting, chief among them a controversial press law imposed in October 2002. The law, criticized by Bahraini journalists and political activists, allows journalists to be fined and jailed and permits officials to close publications by court order. The law bans criticism of Islam and King Hamed Bin Issa al-Khalifa; "insults" to the heads of Arab or Islamic countries; incitement to "sectarian hatred"; and the publication of news that harms "national unity."
The government uses a number of tools to hinder independent reporting, chief among them a controversial press law imposed in October 2002. The law, criticized by Bahraini journalists and political activists, allows journalists to be fined and jailed and permits officials to close publications by court order. The law bans criticism of Islam and King Hamed Bin Issa al-Khalifa; "insults" to the heads of Arab or Islamic countries; incitement to "sectarian hatred"; and the publication of news that harms "national unity."
New York, March 11, 2005—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the prolonged detention of an Internet writer, also known as a Web logger, or blogger, and two technicians working with him.
According to sources in Bahrain, prosecutors in the capital, Manama, summoned Ali Abdel Imam on February 27 and detained him. Abdel Imam is the founder and editor of www.bahrainonline.com, which features a blog with commentary about Bahraini news, as well as a discussion forum. Two technicians who worked on the site with Abdel Imam, Mohamed al-Musawi and Hussein Yousef, were arrested on March 1.
FEBRUARY 27, 2005
Posted: March 14, 2005
Ali Abdel Imam, www.bahrainonline.com
IMPRISONED
Abdel Imam, an Internet writer, also known as a Web logger, or blogger, was summoned by prosecutors in the capital, Manama, and detained, according to sources in Bahrain. Abdel Imam is the founder and editor of www.bahrainonline.com, which features a blog with commentary about Bahraini news, as well as a discussion forum. Two technicians who worked on the site with Abdel Imam, Mohamed al-Musawi and Hussein Yousef, were arrested on March 1.
Posted: March 14, 2005
Ali Abdel Imam, www.bahrainonline.com
IMPRISONED
Abdel Imam, an Internet writer, also known as a Web logger, or blogger, was summoned by prosecutors in the capital, Manama, and detained, according to sources in Bahrain. Abdel Imam is the founder and editor of www.bahrainonline.com, which features a blog with commentary about Bahraini news, as well as a discussion forum. Two technicians who worked on the site with Abdel Imam, Mohamed al-Musawi and Hussein Yousef, were arrested on March 1.
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