For nearly two weeks, the Persian Gulf island state of Bahrain has experienced near-daily disturbances following government arrests of opposition activists from the majority Shiite community. The timing of the arrests seemed geared toward preempting trouble in advance of the scheduled October 23 parliamentary and municipal elections, which minority Sunni parties and candidates are currently [...]
Bahrain is often portrayed as an oasis of stability and moderation in a volatile area. Long established as a regional financial centre. Promoters have successfully branded the island as a place for business placing it on the international conference circuit and exhibition centre long before others in the region. In the last decade, Bahrain has [...]
A top government official and a leading opposition member have criticised as unfair and unrealistic an annual global report which ranks the country alongside Afghanistan, China and North Korea in terms of political freedom and civil liberties. Bahrain is one of five countries downgraded into the “not free” category of Freedom House’s Freedom In The [...]
Global monitors will meet government officials in Bahrain today over human rights issues. Representatives from the Dublin-based Front Line, who visit countries to analyse the treatment of activists in their native countries, are in Manama to speak with activists and authorities on the situation here. They are due to meet with officials from the Ministries [...]
The Bahrain Centre for Studies and Research (BCSR) yesterday launched its second annual publication of the Bahrain Strategy Report. Present at the ceremony, held at the centre in Awali, was BCSR chairman Mohammed Al Ghatam. The report covered developments in various fields throughout this year, including environment, higher education, inflation, freedom of the Press, financial [...]
New report provides detailed analysis of the Construction market After rapid growth in real GDP during earlier years (6.5%-7.8% between 2005 and 2007), we expect slower economic growth in Bahrain going forward. However, Bahrain has not been as badly affected by the economic crisis as other countries in the region. It is believed that GDP [...]
A new report says these nations are the most hospitable to expatriates The Middle East has long had a reputation for being one of the world’s perennial trouble spots. But for expatriates, the tiny Persian Gulf county Bahrain ranks as one of the most welcoming places to work. That’s the surprising result of a new [...]
The UAE ranks high among countries that have blocked most websites, a recent report has revealed. Internet users in the country reported the eleventh highest rate of blocked websites from among the countries in the world, according to the Herdict project. Herdict is a project of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard [...]
Reporters Without Borders has welcomed some amendments to the press law in Bahrain but voiced concern about some remaining failings that leave journalists and publications exposed to risk. Despite real improvements, Bahraini journalists still face prison sentences for what they write and officials keep the right to close websites, the worldwide press freedom organisation said [...]
Bahrain is being urged in a United Nations human rights report to scrap its amnesty for officials allegedly involved in abuses before February 2001. The UN Human Rights Council praises Bahrain for stamping out such abuses, but criticises the “blanket amnesty” for previous alleged violations. There should be no “immunity for officials who have perpetrated [...]
