Bahrain: In the Land of Law · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

Bahraini blogger Khalid [Ar] is surprised with knee jerk reactions taken by the government – after the Minister of Interior issued an order to ban issuing work permits for workers from Bangladesh – in a country which prides itself of being a democracy with laws and a constitution in place.
He writes:
في العهد الجديد ظهر مصطلح الديمقراطية.. والمدعومة بدولة المؤسسات و القانون ..!! في هذا العهد .. حيث اى فعل أو توجه أو عمل يجب إن يستند إلى قرار أو مرسوم أو تشريع ..!!! ولكن مؤخرا ظهرت عدة أموار تناقضه أو تتجاهله وعلى المكشوف .. كما يقال ..!!! فحرية الصحافة أصبحت بعد فترة من العهد الجديد تشكل عبأ على السلطة التنفيذية وهذه الأخيرة بدأت في الضغط على ما يسمي بالسلطة الرابعة وهى الصحافة ..!!! وظهر ما يسمي بالتقنين على ما يطرح للنشر .. فجريدة تحظر نشر موضوع ما وأخرى تبتر فقرة و أخرى تحذف جملة أو كلمة ..!! وأخرى تنشر بالكامل ..وخاصة الصحف الالكترونية ..!!! هذا النشر أو الحظر أو البتر يعتمد على نوع العلاقة التي تربط الجريدة بالسلطة التنفيذية والمتمثلة بالحكومة ..!!!
مؤخرا صدر قرار أو تعليمات من سعادة وزير الداخلية – مملكة البحرين – بإيقاف إصدار تأشيرات العمل للرعايا البنغاليين…!!!! بسبب الجريمة البشعة التي ارتكبها احد رعايا بنغلادش ..!!! وهنا يطرح مجرد سؤال .. ما هي الدوافع الأساسية لمثل هذا القرار أو التعليمات ..؟؟!! وما هى المرجعية القانونية لإصداره ..؟؟!!! هناك جريمة و هناك تحقيق وهناك قضاء ..!!! فلماذا هذا الحظر على أمة ” بنغلادش “..؟؟!!! ولماذا هذا التمييز ..؟؟!! وتحت اى عرف أو قانون أو تشريع يتم معاقبة شعب بجريرة فرد أو مجموعة …؟؟!!! السنا في دولة المؤسسات و القانون …؟؟!!! هل كان قرارا صائبا ..؟؟!! بالتأكيد .. لا ..وهو خطأ فادح .. فاليوم يتحدث الجميع وعل كافة الأطياف إن كافة البنغاليين مجرمون … قتلة .. يجب طردهم ..!!
In the new era, that of what is called democracy and the freedom of press, some people write because they have finally found an avenue to express their opinions on certain topics!! This space was almost always prohibited for reasons called “security reasons.” Of course, they are security matters for some! The government for instance, cannot be mentioned except in a favourable light. Criticising it or accusing it of anything is unlawful in the civil sense and a sin in religious terminology. Although governments are made of people, who only do right in the old system, they do right and commit mistakes in the new one!!!
In the new one, the terminology Democracy has emerged, and it is supported by a state, its institutions and the law! In this era, anything you do should stem from a decision, decree or constitutional amendment!! Lately, a few incidents contradicting this have happened openly. Freedom of Press has become in this new era a burden upon the government, which in turn, started to pressure the Press. This led to some control on what is being published. For instance, a newspaper may prohibit publishing an article altogether; a second may delete a paragraph;  and a third may drop a sentence or a word. Others, especially online publications, will publish the article in full. The decision to publish or censor articles depends on the relationship between the newspaper and the executive branch, represented by the government.
Lately, the Minister of Interior in Bahrain issued a decree banning issuing new work permits for Bangladeshis!! That was because of the horrendous crime committed by a Bangladeshi!! And here I would like to ask: What were the main motives for issuing this law? What are the legal grounds for issuing it? There is a crime, and there is an investigation and there is a justice and courts system. So why is there this ban on the people of Bangladesh? And why this discrimination? And under which law is a whole nation being punished for the crime of one individual or group of people? Aren't we in a country of institutions and laws? Was this decision correct? Of course not and it is a grave mistake. Today, everyone is talking as if all Bangladeshis are criminals and murderers, who should be thrown out.