Al Jazeera violates principles of good-neighborliness: Bahrain Interior Ministry

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior lashed out at the Qatari “Al Jazeera” channel for its attempts to tarnish the reputation of Bahrain, Interior Ministry said the channel is targeting Bahrain and its people with fabricated stories of “incitement, violence, hatred and sedition”.

“These works also violated the principles of good-neighbourliness,” the Interior Ministry statement said.

“Al Jazeera violates the fundamental law of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and their works are also inconsistent with the principles of Al-Ula Summit declaration.”

“The programme titled “Out of Context” aired by “Al Jazeera on March 7 is part of its systematic policy to defame the Kingdom’s reputation,” Interior Ministry stressed.

The programme, the ministry said, contains fabricated and unrealistic allegations made through statements of individuals who committed terrorist crimes that caused innocent lives.

 “Telecasting statements without physical evidence also makes the channel the voice of terrorists and inciters,” the statement added.

The ministry further stressed that the reformation and rehabilitation centres here are law enforcement authorities and correction centres, and they have never been places for investigation.

Inmates serving their sentences at the centres have received fair and public trials.

They have gone through a judicial process and convicted by the independent judicial authority based on physical evidence.”

Bahrain’s human rights record, the Interior Ministry statement said, is full of reformation and rehabilitation accomplishments and initiatives, including the alternative penalty law and the open prisons proposal.

“These initiatives reflect the commitment to human rights in approach and practice and promote Bahrain’s position as a developed country by establishing regulatory and human rights institutions such as the National Institute for Human Rights, the Prisoners and Detainees Rights Commission and the Office of the Ombudsman.”

The ministry also pointed out that the channel, sponsored by Qatar, is not in a position to criticise human rights policy in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Al Jazeera’s continuation of violence and sedition incitement is a crime against the media and communities for lacking credibility.

The Interior Ministry also pointed out the defamatory shows and news primarily aim at hindering the implementation of the Al-Ula Summit declaration.

“The programme contains alleged incidents dating back to 2015, and those in charge of the channel are still backing terrorist groups.”

Those who run the channel are unknown and are inconsiderate to the GCC traditions and stability, for they do not belong to the GCC community.”

The Ministry of Interior also warned against listening to the fabricated news, for they are against the GCC and national interests.