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No Haven for Citizen Journalists in Bahrain
Written by Mohamed Hassan On 31 December 2012 @ 9:29 am | 1 Comment
In Arabic, Bahrain, Citizen Media, Digital Activism, Feature, Freedom of Speech, Human Rights, Media & Journalism, Middle East & North Africa, Photos, Weblog
This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011 [1].
After Bahrain's police “Slap” video went viral [2] the Minister of Interior issued a statement in which he asked that “anyone who films such an event should report it immediately [3]” to the authorities. Two days later, and in contrast with such statements, many were shocked at the news of the arrest of a photojournalist.
[4]Picture of Photojournalist Ahmed Humaidan and his membership is photographic society of America published by @ahmedalfardan1 [4]
The European-Bahraini Organisation for Human Rights tweeted:
@EBOHumanRights [5]: Arrested and still missing youth photographer Ahmed Humaidan from Bahrain City Center Mall yesterday late night.
Photojournalist Ahmed AlFardan added:
@AhmedAlFardan2 [6]: More than 15 undercover police arrested humaidan from Bahrain city center #freehumaidan #freebhphotographer #sitrapic.twitter.com/pSeM9YgJ
Sayed Hassan wrote:
@WLEXT [7]: Sad Day for Photagraphers & Journos in #Bahrain, Award winning Citizen Photo Journalist #FreeHumaidan arrested yesterday pic.twitter.com/c4ak9VFH
[8]Picture of Ahmed Humaidan with several award winning photos that he toke and some awards he received
Kuwaiti writer and human rights activist Hadeel Buqrais tweeted:
بعد افلات قتلة المصور أحمد اسماعيل يتم استهداف المصور احمد حميدان في البحرين بإعتقاله
@HadeeLBuQrais [9]: After the killers of photojournalist Ahmed Ismail evaded justice photojournalist Ahmed Humaidan is targeted and arrested.
Ahmed Ismail is a videographer who was killed [10] in Salambad last year while filming a protest. He was shot from a civilian car.
The Doha Centre for Media Freedom issued a statement [11] which said:
The Doha Centre for Media Freedom is joining the quest for information with the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights which calls for the immediate release of Humaidan.
…
Humaidan has won more than 140 international awards in photojournalism, and he is considered the second most Arab photographer to win awards in photography competitions.
Zainab Hashemi added:
دائماً يخافون ممن ينشر عنفهم و تعنجهم لذا إختطفوه ، غداً ستصفق سميرة رجب و تقول كعادتها : لدينا حرية في الصحافة في البحرین
@ZainaBHashemi [12]: They are always afraid of anyone who publishes their violence and arrogance that's why they arrested him. Tomorrow Sameera Rajab [minister of State for Information Affairs] will say as usual: we have press freedom in Bahrain
This post is part of our special coverage of Bahrain Protests 2011 [1].
Article printed from Global Voices: http://globalvoicesonline.org
URL to article: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/12/31/no-haven-for-citizen-journalists-in-bahrain/
URLs in this post:
[1] Bahrain Protests 2011: http://globalvoicesonline.org/specialcoverage/bahrain-protests-2011/
[2] Bahrain's police “Slap” video went viral: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2012/12/25/bahrain-police-slap-video-goes-viral/
[3] anyone who films such an event should report it immediately: http://www.iaa.bh/pressReleasedetails.aspx?id=410
[4] Image: http://instagram.com/p/T2e9OnGQag/
[5] @EBOHumanRights: https://twitter.com/EBOHumanRights/status/284933698678296576
[6] @AhmedAlFardan2: https://twitter.com/AhmedAlFardan2/status/284828295961395200
[7] @WLEXT: https://twitter.com/WLEXT/status/284966277867503616
[8] Image: https://twitter.com/Amh_Dz/status/284962680966635520/photo/1/large
[9] @HadeeLBuQrais: https://twitter.com/HadeeLBuQrais
[10] killed: http://cpj.org/2012/04/bahraini-videographer-killed-while-filming-protest.php
[11] statement: http://www.dc4mf.org/en/content/bahraini-photojournalist-arrested
[12] @ZainaBHashemi: http://twitter.com/ZainaBHashemi
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