Bahrain Mirror: The Bahrain Press Association documented 41 infringements against journalists, media professionals, and civil society activists during 2022.

The association indicated in its 13th annual report entitled "Bahrain 2022: The Dead Island," that "the number of documented acts of infringement of freedom of expression since the February 2011 uprisings until December 2022 rises to about 1811 violations."

It said that "4 recurring charges topped most of what was brought against those who were summoned or whose cases were transferred to trials, namely: insulting a statutory body, spreading false news, insulting religious symbols, and defamation and slander. Lawsuits pertaining to the Internet, social media and mobile chat applications accounted for about 95% of the documented cases."

The BPA noted that "one of the prominent indicators observed this year [2022] is the increased complaints and lawsuits filed by the Ministry of Education against its critics."

The Association called on the United Nations, Bahrain allies, and all international organizations and bodies concerned with defending the freedom of opinion and expression to "immediately intervene and to exert urgent pressure on the Bahraini government to immediately and unconditionally release all photographers, media professionals, and activists detained for practicing their work or exercising their right to freedom of expression."

It also demanded to "stop arbitrary prosecutions, arrests and judicial trials on charges of "inciting hatred of the regime", "misusing social media" and all what restricts freedom of expression."

The Bahrain Press Association demanded to "secure freedoms of media and the press, and reconsider the work priorities of the Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security Administration," and "put an end to the authority's monopoly of the television, radio and print media, and enable the voice of opposition in the media-including reauthorizing the publication of Al-Wasat newspaper."

Arabic Version