By ADNAN MALIK, Associated Press WriterThu Apr 28, 9:29 AM ET
All Web sites operating in Bahrain must register with the country's Information Ministry under a new government mandate that has provoked protests from an international watchdog for press freedom.
The move comes two months after the government detained three Bahrainis who were linked to an Internet forum that it viewed as hostile.
Web sites have six months starting this Monday to register. They must give the names, addresses and telephone numbers of the operators, said Jamal Dawood, the ministry's director of publications. Web sites will then get an ID number they must post.
The media watchdog Reporters Without Borders criticized the move, saying it will intimidate Web publishers, including operators of personal Web journals such as blogs, and pressure sites to cut back on message boards and other interactive features for fear they will be held responsible for what visitors post.
"This does not happen in any democratic country and is a threat to press freedom," the Paris-based organization said in a statement.
Dawood, who helped draft the regulation, denied the requirement was a restriction of press freedom or freedom of expression.
He said nobody will be refused registration on grounds of their site's content.
The government had not yet decided what would happen to those who fail to register, Dawood said.
The three Bahrainis detained in February were released last month, but their passports have been confiscated. They may yet be prosecuted for running a site accused of criticizing the royal family, inciting hatred against the government and spreading false information that could destabilize the nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment