Bahrain: Bahrain's Shaikha Mai wants better laws, closer media cooperation

Gulfnews
By Habib Toumi, Bahrain Bureau Chief
Published: April 14, 2009, 15:03

Manama: Bahrain's culture and information minister has called for the codification of press freedom to help promote media standards and reinforce liberties.

"We will, persistently and inexorably, move towards the codification of the freedom of the press as part of the general and public freedoms that must be expanded and developed. All legal and administrative obstacles should be removed so that press freedom can be guarantees are built on robust foundations and exercised within an enlightened and advanced environment," said Shaikha Mai Bint Mohammad Al Khalifa.

"We strongly believe that the press plays a crucial role in the civil dialogue that reinforces freedoms and empowers people to comment on them and explain them," she told members of the International Federation of Journalists who were holding a forum in Bahrain.

According to Shaikha Mai, the media has a crucial role in helping the world confront formidable challenges that include creating employment opportunities, addressing problems related with population growth, wars, climate changes and the need protection of civilizations and heritages.

"In the face of such challenges, we need to stimulate solidarity within the media and develop general commitments to international rights and to civil and political pledges and covenants. We should transfer these international accords to our local legislation and review our laws and rules accordingly. We do need robust partnerships for the sake of the future of the press: ethically and professionally and in terms of knowledge and training," she said.

Genuine partnership with the Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists which has around 600,000 members, could result in improving performances, enhancing practices, spreading the values related to diversified media and bolstering professional standards through training programmess and outstanding initiatives, said the minister who was given the media portfolio last September in a limited cabinet reshuffle.

Bahraini journalists have been pushing for the adoption of a new press law that would guarantee greater freedom and the abolition of jail sentences for reporters and editors.

The government last year presented a law draft, but the parliament has yet to decide on its merits.

Journalists are weary that conservative lawmakers in the lower house would oppose lifting prison jails under the claim that people working in the media should not be given any special privileges.

The Bahrain Journalists Association has been lobbying for the promulgation of a more tolerant press law.