Liquor ban in Bahrain rumours go viral

Manama : Social media were rife with  rumours last night that the government has slapped a ban on alcohol and night clubs. The rumours spread after a document claimed to be signed by the Tourism Undersecretary Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa went viral. “On November 13, Culture Minister issued Resolution 5 of 2017 in regards with banning the sale of alcoholic beverages, recruiting artists, closing bars and suspending Arabic and foreign discos and stage performances,” the document said. 

The document warned that “the hotels that defy the provisions of the resolution would be subjected to legal accountability and suspension of the tourism permit”.

DT News has learnt that the circulated document was false as the Culture Ministry was revoked by a Royal Decree since 2014, and the tasks of tourism moved to Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry.

The circulated document, in fact, was an amended copy of a resolution by the Culture Minister Shiakha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa in mid 2014 with regards to imposing the ban on three-star hotels. The dates and figures were changed in the shared document.

The matter was shared by hundreds of social media users in Bahrain and GCC, and is one of the fastest trending topics discussed on Twitter last night.

A ban was imposed on three-star hotels in 2014 and on two-star hotels in 2009. Further clarification from Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry is awaited.