Bahraini MP calls for ban on explicit web pages

Manama: An Islamist MP has called for rigorous implementation of a total ban on porn sites, saying that they represented a danger to the country as destructive as sectarianism.

Abdul Halim Murad, representing Al Asala, a Salafi bloc with eight MPs in the 40-seat Lower House, said that the state should exert further efforts to block all sites that posted "immoral" material.

"Porn sites are a real threat to the sound upbringing of many young men and women, particularly that almost all homes now have access to the internet. In fact, many of these young people have their own computers and enjoy a high level of privacy, with no supervision from their parents or family," he said in a press statement.

"We are aware that a high number of people surf immoral and pervert sites and we do need to conjugate our efforts to ensure that our young people are not exposed to them."

Al Asala, Islamic Menbar, and Al Wefaq, the three Islamist societies that command 32 seats in the Council of Representatives, approached last month the Interior Minister, requesting his help in the 'fight against porn sites', which they consider as destructive as the sites that stoke sectarianism.

Bahrain last month set up a committee, chaired by the Interior Minister, and including the Justice and Information ministries, to oversee sites, publications and mosques, and ensure they do not fuel sectarian tendencies.

Under watch

The formation of the committee was in response to an unprecedented bitter standoff between Shiite and Sunni scholars and MPs, stoked by mosque sermons, media reports and website postings.

The Islamist societies now want the monitoring by the ministerial committee to include the sites that they see as depraving Bahrain's youth.

"The Interior Minister has promised to help with the issue while the Information Minister earlier pledged to draft a plan to address the sites that are alien to our culture and values," Murad said.

The blocking of websites has waded into a controversy in Bahrain among charges by activists that the government used "ethical" excuses to ban access to their blogs and sites.

The accusations were rejected by the authorities who say that only sites with porn or terror-related material or that violated the law were blocked.