Government blocks websites

Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières - RSF) protested to the Bahraini government today about its blocking access to allegedly "offensive" and "sectarian" Internet websites and urged it to cancel the measure to restore the country's good image. "This kind of step goes against your National charter, which specifically guarantees human rights," RSF secretary-general Robert Ménard said in a letter to information minister Nabeel Yacoub al-Hamer, noting that Bahrain was known for its good press freedom situation. At least five websites, some of them run by the opposition, have been blocked by the government in recent days on grounds they were putting out dubious information, rumours and lies. The information minister said he would consider lifting the restrictions if the content of the sites was changed. Among the sites blocked are the London-based Bahrein Freedom Movement's www.vob.org, as well as www.bahrainonline.org, the online newspaper Al-Manama (www.al-manama.net) and a site run by Islamic fundamentalist Abdel Wahab Hussein.