Tuesday, March 01, 2005
A hard choice
Our boys, Ali, Mohammed and Hussain will be forced to face a difficult choice: close BahrainOnline.org, wipe out the database or face SEVERE consequences. Will they stand by their principles and rights to free speech and forsake their future? This is the choice they are facing right now in that interrogation room.Ali was the visionary of this project, Mohammed was the brains, Hussain was the voice. They're identities were never secret. Which one will break under pressure? I'm sure they now realise this is no joke and the government is DEAD serious on closing this site down. How long can it go on clamping down on its people - banning foreign participants to conferences, arresting people collecting signatures for a petition, threatening the closure of political societies, arresting a human rights activist, living on royal whims, blocking websites and now this.
Giving-in was never a choice. Thats what one of them last said to me.
Hussain Yousif
Thanks to the Committee for the Protection of Bloggers, Muscati, VillageVoice, Buzzmachine, Jowhara's Chamber, Kuwait Unplugged, NatashaTynes as well as all the other Bahraini bloggers for raising this in your blogs. What else can we do? How do we know this isnt just some blogger frenzy and that the authorities are hearing this??
I leave you with the perfect quote by Global Soul:
People who are being detained, questioned, and imprisoned for practicing a fundamental human right: EXPRESSION are in fact sending a stronger message through their ordeal…a message that strengthens the voice of those who were already active…and awakens those who were asleep.
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I thought Bahrain was a liberalized arab country, if they can't speak their mind on the internet than they need to speak their mind to the government directly in the streets.
Keep up the fight with words for freedom and liberty! No one can stop you to think and speak it out loud.
Exactly Anon,
Those people were ranting to a PC.
What's next?
Stopping free thought altogether.
What is it with us exactly that we just cannot comprehend that it is OK to speak and write and express oneself in a civil manner ?
Where can i get a copy of the Press laws & Communication laws? Secondly, how can i get access to these arrested students and blogger? Last but not least what are the procedures involved in Bahrain for arresting/jailing an international student protesting on behalf of these local university students who are in now in the dock?
Thank you.
-Strav.
Hi Strav,
All contact details are with Chan'ad.
Tell ur international student friend to wear a balaclava :) thats the best procedure
thanks for the advice Bahrania.
I don't want to divert attention away from the blogger being jailed article - but since you've reported that there are other websites who are being grilled as well along with their owners,etc.
And i've seen a photo on Chanad's blog - a picture of a protester holding up a sign which read "u can insult the royals" or something to that effect - could u please advise me as to how I may attract attention of the cops and the public prosector in arresting the owners and moderators of a student website that also happens to be attacking members of the royal family who own the uni in a way - ucbstudents.com in its latest topic - The university is F**ked up -
Please do me tell me how we students can get arrested - i'd really like to see that taking place - then we could have a happy meetup with every other student in jail because s/he wrote something that expressed their freedom of speech online :-)