MANAMA // The former chief editor of Bahrain's main independent newspaper claimed in court yesterday that apparent plotters in Saudi Arabia planted false news stories about abuses to discredit his paper during Shiite-led protests for greater rights in the kingdom.
Violence by security forces has been widespread and well documented since demonstrations broke out in February. But the fabricated reports in were used by authorities to force out staff members and bring serious charges of encouraging unrest.
Al Wasat's former chief editor and founder, Mansoor al Jamri, was linked to publishing false news stories and allegedly inflaming tensions. He has been free on bail since April.
His trial is part of a far-reaching crackdown against perceived dissent. It has included hundreds of arrests, purges from workplaces and universities and accusations of anti-state conspiracies.
Bahrain's rulers have appealed for talks with opposition groups, but have not eased off on trials and other apparent pressure tactics. Shiites account for about 70 per cent of Bahrain's population, but claim they suffer from systematic discrimination that includes being blackballed from top military or government posts. About 80 students were dismissed from the Bahrain Polytechnic school this week for alleged links to the protests.
At least 31 people have died in the unrest in the past four months.
Mr al Jamri testified yesterday before the criminal court that the false stories, describing fabricated crackdowns by authorities, came from an internet address in Saudi Arabia and were written in a way that did not raise suspicions by personnel at Al Wasat, which published the items.
"This was a very sophisticated plot," Mr al Jamri said. "They made the stories look authentic and knew to send them at night when we only had one editor on duty."
Mr Jamri claims the paper was the victim of a plot to undermine its role as the main voice for pro-reform advocates. In March, apparent pro-government mobs damaged printing facilities at Al Wasat. Mr al Jamri also claims that staff members received anonymous threats. His trial is scheduled to resume on Sunday.
Bahrain's authorities have meanwhile started to challenge the many media reports of heavy-handed tactics against the opposition.
On Thursday, the official Bahrain News Agency said it plans to file a suit against the British newspaper The Independent for "wrong and defamatory" coverage. It gave no other details about the possible legal action and there was no immediate response from the London-based newspaper.
The Bahrain turmoil has presented a policy quandary for Washington.
US officials have denounced the violence and urged for dialogue, but have stopped short on any more serious actions against the leadership in one of its top allies in the Middle East. The US State Department's top human rights envoy, Michael Posner, is in Bahrain for talks this week.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch called on Bahraini authorities to halt proceedings before the special military court set up as part of efforts to crush the protests.
It also urged Bahrain to free all those detained "solely for exercising their rights to free speech and peaceful assembly."
The government last week lifted the state of emergency it imposed in March after protests and is calling for a national dialogue to plan reforms next month.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
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Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
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A foster couple or family must:
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- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his/her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30-years-old and able to support the child financially
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Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
