Close watch on media 'empowers hardline forces'

Manama: The Bahrain Journalists Association on Sunday accused "Islamist forces" of using a lawsuit against a local columnist to put pressure on journalists and to silence the media.

"The Bahrain Journalists Association [BJA] is well aware of the threats to the freedom of the press and journalists in Bahrain and is conscious that routine investigations by the public prosecution are merely a means to empower Islamist and Salafi groups to impose restrictions on Bahraini society in general and on the press in particular," the association said.

"We condemn the fact that Bahrain is a country where journalists are sued and targeted by extremist ... forces at a time when all Arab and Islamic countries are trying to limit the power of these forces bent on destroying their social unity," BJA said in a statement a day before one of its co-founders, Saeed Al Hamad, faces the public prosecutor for charges of defamation brought against him by Egyptian preacher Wajdi Gunaim.

The religious figure, who lived in Bahrain after the United States banned him in January 2005 on suspicion of terrorism links, said that Al Hamad, a columnist with the liberal Al Ayam daily, tarnished his reputation by publishing misleading information targeting his character and doubting his intentions.

Al Hamad and Al Ayam contested the claims, saying that the preacher was spreading a religious ideology that was against Bahrain's values of tolerance and mutual respect and that sought to instill regressive and backward ideas in the minds of young students.

BJA said it would resist any attempt to slash the influence of liberals and promote political Islam within Bahrain.

Press support

"BJA is ready to use all the means available to defend columnist Saeed Al Hamad in the lawsuit which it regards as targeting all journalists in Bahrain. We can assert that based on the papers presented by Al Ayam that Gunaim represents an ideology that targets women's rights, education, pluralism and democracy that protects freedom of opinion and thought," the association said.

Gunaim has recently been declared persona non-grata in Bahrain for alleged insulting remarks against Kuwait.