Bahrain Mirror: In what seems like an organized media campaign against the Washington Post, three pro-government newspapers slammed, in their editorials, the American newspaper over the article in which it criticized Bahrain's human rights record.

Al-Bilad Newspaper: Washington Post's attack is due to Bahrain's inclination towards Europe, Middle East and its Agreements with France

Al-Bilad newspaper, owned by the Prime Minister's son Ali bin Khalifa, said that Washington Post recalled the "fake past", considering that "recalling the 2011 incidents and ignoring the developments that happened within the past four years is unjustified."

The newspaper added that "Washington's post statements reflect Washington's pain caused by Bahrain's inclination towards Europe and the Middle East," linking what the Washington Post said to the agreements signed between Bahrain and France, as Bahrain preference of Middle East countries and Russia is what "triggered the US anger and made it dig up old issue, so it could defame Bahrain's bright image."

The newspaper also stressed that what was published is an indication that newspapers, along with human rights organizations, work for certain states, considering that Washington Post is one of the newspapers directed by the Obama administration to serve US interests.

Al-Watan Newspaper: Bahrain is better than America

In the same context, Al-Watan newspaper affiliated to the Bahraini royal court, said that Bahrain is not ready to "waste its time over an undeserving or failed experience. We don't need to learn from the Americans, for they are the ones who need to learn how to respect human rights. The whole world witnessed how the US policemen deal with peaceful protestors and how they were involved in killing peaceful citizens only because they were black, which reflects the racism that the US regime could not put an end to yet."

The newspaper added that Bahrain does not even have one homeless citizen, meanwhile "3 million Americans live become homeless each year and live in 100 camps for homeless people including 1.3 million children, where are these children's rights?" However, in Bahrain "the government is addressing the housing crisis and is dedicating its efforts to put an end to this crisis. It is attempting to finish constructing 40,000 residential units and is contributing to supporting the citizens financially until handing them their houses (3,000 USD annually), while a million US citizens suffer from their inability to meet the cost of living. What about their right to housing?"

It went on to compare Bahrain to the US in several issues like the poverty line, the arrest of citizens or residents for no reason or trial. Al-Watan newspaper reminded the US administration about Guantanamo Bay Prison and concluded its editorial by calling on the Americans to learn "before you teach us". 

Arabic Issue