indicates that this filtration effort is likely symbolic rather than an attempt to completely impair the
ability of Bahrainis to access certain types of
Internet content. For each blocked site, there are
numerous similar sites that are not blocked by
the government.
In 2006, however, Bahrain temporarily
blocked a Bahraini human rights Web site, a popular blog run by a Bahraini citizen, and Google
Earth. Even though the ban on these Web sites
and services did not last long, this might indicate
an intensification of the state’s comparatively liberal, yet not transparent, filtering policy. In addition, given the state’s close relationship with
Batelco and its comprehensive regulatory structure, the government could quickly introduce new
filtration if it wished.
NOTES
1. Chaieb, Mounira, “Young in the Arab World:
Bahrain,” BBC News, February 2005,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4229337.stm.
2. Human Rights Watch, World Report 2007: Bahrain,
2007, http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/
11/bahrai14699.htm.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Initiative for an Open Arab Internet, “Bahrain,”
http://www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/bahrain.
shtml.
7. Reporters Without Borders, Bahrain: Annual Report
2007, 2007, http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?
id_article=20752&Valider=OK.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. “Online population in Arab world exceeds 26 million
in 2005—Madar Research,” Al-Bawaba News,
September 18, 2006, http://www.ameinfo.com/
96622.html.
11. Internet World Stats, Middle East Internet Usage
Stats and Population Statistics,
http://www.internetworldstats.com/middle.htm#bh.
12. International Telecommunication Union, World
Telecommunication Indicators 2006.
13. Maricelle Ruiz, “Internet telephony is illegal throughout the Middle East,” July 2006, http://www.ibls.com/
internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&
id=1538.
14. Legislative decree no. 48 of 2002 Promulgating the
Telecommunications Law, October 23, 2002,
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/pdf/Law_48_of_2002.pdf.
15. Telecommunications Regulatory Authority,
“Licensing,” February 2007,
http://www.tra.org.bh/ar/licensingCurrent.asp.
16. Initiative for an Open Arab Internet, “Bahrain,”
http://www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/bahrain.
shtml.
17. See www.boycottbatelco.com.
18. See Article 24 of the Bahrain Constitution,
http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/ba00000_.html.
19. Human Rights Watch, “False freedom: Online
censorship in the Middle East and North Africa:
Summary,” November 2005, http://hrw.org/
reports/2005/mena1105/2.htm.
20. TRA, “Introduction to the TRA,”
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/home.asp?dfltlng=1.
21. See http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/
bahrain/#toc1.
22. Legislative decree no. 48 of 2002 Promulgating the
Telecommunications Law, § 75,
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/pdf/Law_48_of_2002.pdf.
23. Legislative decree no. 48 of 2002 Promulgating the
Telecommunications Law, § 78,
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/pdf/Law_48_of_2002.pdf.
24. See Initiative for an Open Arab Internet, “Bahrain,”
http://www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/bahrain.
shtml.
25. Reporters Without Borders, Bahrain: Annual Report
2007, 2007, http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?
id_article=20752&Valider=OK.
26. Reporters Without Borders, “Authorities block access
to influential blog covering Bandargate scandal” and
“Website blocked one month ahead of parliamentary
elections,” October 2006, http://www.rsf.org/article.
php3?id_article=19487.
27. William Wallis, “Overhead view stirs up Bahrain,”
Los Angeles Times, December 4, 2006,
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-ft-bahrain
4dec04,1,1102601.story?coll=la-headlines-business
&ctrack=1&cset=true. The file can be found at
http://www.ogleearth.com/BahrainandGoogleEarth.pdf.
Country Summaries
257
ability of Bahrainis to access certain types of
Internet content. For each blocked site, there are
numerous similar sites that are not blocked by
the government.
In 2006, however, Bahrain temporarily
blocked a Bahraini human rights Web site, a popular blog run by a Bahraini citizen, and Google
Earth. Even though the ban on these Web sites
and services did not last long, this might indicate
an intensification of the state’s comparatively liberal, yet not transparent, filtering policy. In addition, given the state’s close relationship with
Batelco and its comprehensive regulatory structure, the government could quickly introduce new
filtration if it wished.
NOTES
1. Chaieb, Mounira, “Young in the Arab World:
Bahrain,” BBC News, February 2005,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4229337.stm.
2. Human Rights Watch, World Report 2007: Bahrain,
2007, http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/
11/bahrai14699.htm.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Initiative for an Open Arab Internet, “Bahrain,”
http://www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/bahrain.
shtml.
7. Reporters Without Borders, Bahrain: Annual Report
2007, 2007, http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?
id_article=20752&Valider=OK.
8. Ibid.
9. Ibid.
10. “Online population in Arab world exceeds 26 million
in 2005—Madar Research,” Al-Bawaba News,
September 18, 2006, http://www.ameinfo.com/
96622.html.
11. Internet World Stats, Middle East Internet Usage
Stats and Population Statistics,
http://www.internetworldstats.com/middle.htm#bh.
12. International Telecommunication Union, World
Telecommunication Indicators 2006.
13. Maricelle Ruiz, “Internet telephony is illegal throughout the Middle East,” July 2006, http://www.ibls.com/
internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx?s=latestnews&
id=1538.
14. Legislative decree no. 48 of 2002 Promulgating the
Telecommunications Law, October 23, 2002,
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/pdf/Law_48_of_2002.pdf.
15. Telecommunications Regulatory Authority,
“Licensing,” February 2007,
http://www.tra.org.bh/ar/licensingCurrent.asp.
16. Initiative for an Open Arab Internet, “Bahrain,”
http://www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/bahrain.
shtml.
17. See www.boycottbatelco.com.
18. See Article 24 of the Bahrain Constitution,
http://www.oefre.unibe.ch/law/icl/ba00000_.html.
19. Human Rights Watch, “False freedom: Online
censorship in the Middle East and North Africa:
Summary,” November 2005, http://hrw.org/
reports/2005/mena1105/2.htm.
20. TRA, “Introduction to the TRA,”
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/home.asp?dfltlng=1.
21. See http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/
bahrain/#toc1.
22. Legislative decree no. 48 of 2002 Promulgating the
Telecommunications Law, § 75,
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/pdf/Law_48_of_2002.pdf.
23. Legislative decree no. 48 of 2002 Promulgating the
Telecommunications Law, § 78,
http://www.tra.org.bh/en/pdf/Law_48_of_2002.pdf.
24. See Initiative for an Open Arab Internet, “Bahrain,”
http://www.openarab.net/en/reports/net2006/bahrain.
shtml.
25. Reporters Without Borders, Bahrain: Annual Report
2007, 2007, http://www.rsf.org/article.php3?
id_article=20752&Valider=OK.
26. Reporters Without Borders, “Authorities block access
to influential blog covering Bandargate scandal” and
“Website blocked one month ahead of parliamentary
elections,” October 2006, http://www.rsf.org/article.
php3?id_article=19487.
27. William Wallis, “Overhead view stirs up Bahrain,”
Los Angeles Times, December 4, 2006,
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-ft-bahrain
4dec04,1,1102601.story?coll=la-headlines-business
&ctrack=1&cset=true. The file can be found at
http://www.ogleearth.com/BahrainandGoogleEarth.pdf.
Country Summaries
257