Local Journalists Condemn Media Witch-hunt by Extremist Groups in Bahrain

Statement from the Bahrain Journalists Association

In line with its mission to safeguard freedom of the press and protect journalists, the Bahrain Journalists Association emphatically rejects the campaign launched by members of the Salafi and Muslim Brotherhood against the independent press and honorable columnists and vigorously denounces the targeting of Al Ayam newspaper and its liberal tendencies.

The Bahrain Journalists Association is deeply concerned over the incitement campaign by extremist movements against journalists, columnists and newspapers in order to curb and eventually obliterate their democratic and enlightenment contributions.

The Bahrain Journalists Association stresses that the smear campaign will not succeed to silence honest voices, erode democratic contributions or frighten journalists from their noble objective of enlightening public opinion.

The concepts of custody and accusing others of apostasy that some extremists seek to impose on the press and journalists have no room in Bahrain which has always been pluralist, tolerant and open-minded.

The denigration campaign against the press is a desperate attempt by anti-freedom movements at a time when the world is getting ready to celebrate World Press Freedom Day, consolidate the freedoms of expression and opinion and reiterate support to the newspapers and the journalists who have been at the forefront of the struggle for greater democracy.

The Bahrain Journalists Association urges all journalists, columnists and human rights and democratic organizations as well as all the people interested in defending rights and promoting freedom of expression to stand against this vilification campaign which will have ominous repercussions on the press and on journalists.

The Bahrain Journalists Association calls upon all forward-looking people to help alleviate the pressure on journalists so that they can carry out their work within a free, independent and democratic environment.

Bahrain Journalists Association