Bahrain: Parliament to Vote on New Freedom of Expression Law

On Monday, the Bahraini ambassador to the United States Hooda Ezra Nonoo released a statement regarding newly proposed “freedom of expression” amendments which are designed to “provide stronger guarantees for freedom of expression in Bahrain by narrowing the circumstances under which individuals can be charged with speech-related activity under the country’s criminal laws. This initiative follows other cutting-edge action by the government in the human rights arena, including the establishment by the King of an independent expert commission to investigate alleged human rights abuses.” It is expected that the proposed amendments will be voted on in the coming weeks.

The proposed amendments would also ”apply retroactively where this would be beneficial to the accused in a pending case.” Some of the amendments include the following changes: “imprisonment for a period of no more than two years and a fine not exceeding BD 200, or either penalty, may be imposed on any person who deliberately disseminates a false statement knowing that it may be damaging to national security, public order or public health, and consequently such damage occurs.  A statement can only be subject to criminal penalties for damaging national security under subparagraph (a) if it (i) deliberately incites imminent violence; (ii) it is likely to incite such violence and (iii) there is a direct and immediate connection between the statement and the likelihood or occurrence of such violence.”

Last Friday, Human Rights Watch published a press release demanding that the Bahrain Appeals Court  void the convictions of some 20 medical staff based on “severe abuse in detention and extensive violations of their rights to a fair trial.” Outgoing president of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) Dr. John Donoho stated that he and many of his colleagues “have been particularly shocked by the events unfolding in Bahrain…” and stated that “any country that considers itself modern and progressive has an obligation to ensure that doctors are allowed to practice in a safe and neutral environment where all patients, irrespective of their backgrounds can safely receive the medical care they require. Hospitals must remain as inviolable sanctuaries for this noble purpose.”