Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain Press Academy (BPA) issued its ninth report for 2018 on the World Press Freedom Day entitled "Bahrain, the Kingdom of Closed Doors".

The UK-based organization said that Bahraini journalists have undergone hard times during 2018 as the authorities continue their fierce war on the remaining available outlets of the freedom of expression.

Security authorities have taken full control of the media sphere after shutting down "Al-Wasat" newspaper to keep the press in the hands of pro-government newspapers, which are mostly replicas of the Official Gazette.

The blockade of the social media spheres, which became deserted spaces, continues as tweeters resort to hiding behind the pseudonyms and allegory in an environment where expressing critical views is a risk.

President of Bahrain Press Academy Adel Marzouq said that the naming of the annual report "Bahrain, the Kingdom of Closed Doors" comes to refer to the dead end in the Kingdom and the impasse of press freedom in the country. The state has shut its doors before the other opinion, not only in the traditional media but also in the blogosphere and social media.

Marzouq added that "BPA documented about 86 cases that represent alleged violations of media freedoms and public freedoms such as rights of opinion and expression. These violations included 21 judicial rulings, 32 interrogations, some of which involved torture, 24 arrests and 9 cases of obstruction of work."

Click here to read the full report

Arabic Version