The National Commission assigned to Follow-up the BICI Recommendations

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Progress & Actions Taken

1724 (b) - To establish professional standards for the media and other forms of publications that contain an ethical code and an enforcement mechanism, designed to uphold ethical and professional standards in order to avoid incitement to hatred, violence and intolerance, without prejudice to internationally protected rights of freedom of expression.

Progress & Actions

Resolutions of the National Commission

Providing the National Commission with the actions taken or to be taken in the future to implement this recommendation.

Government Response

A part was implemented, and the remaining parts are in process

The Commission of Public Information, in consultation with the French team of experts, set a plan to implement this recommendation in its general plan. One of the main points contained in the plan: Issuing cards of profession for journalists. Among the most prominent tasks of the above mentioned council is to monitor and ban (through warnings and fines) any substance that provokes hatred.

The press charter was issued by the Bahraini Journalists Association in January 2012.

The Authority of Information Affairs signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Centre of Excellence (The Management Consulting Centre) to formulate a code of honour for Bahraini radio and television to ensure respect for the code of conduct for media within the frame of neutral pluralism, credibility, the rule of law and protecting national cohesion.

The authority also signed training contracts with international media (BBC and Radio France).

Resolutions of the National Commission

Approval of the following items:
1. To expedite the process of issuing draft laws on the regulation of the print, audio and visual printing and publishing industry, both traditional and electronic, to consolidate the constitutional principle guaranteeing the freedom of expression, without prejudice to the unity of the people, and without inciting sectarian division, taking into consideration the events which took place in Bahrain and resulted in the existing sectarian prejudice, in which information and social media played a role. This item is to be moved to become Item 7 of Paragraph (A) of Recommendation No. 1724.
2. To urge the Bahrain Journalists Association to formulate and adhere to a media code of ethics designed for the national reconciliation phase, to encourage writers to promote public opinion calling for reconciliation and tolerance and rejecting division and extremism, emphasizing the necessity of compliance by all journalists.
3. To emphasize joint causes which consolidate national unity and call for sectarian tolerance, shedding more light on such causes in all programs and reconciling differences.
4. To re-organize official media agencies, and attract information and media talent capable of building a media organization to international standards in this field.

Resolutions of the National Commission

To review a copy of draft laws related to the regulation of the printing and publishing industry, to assess the extent of achievement of the purpose of the recommendation.
To review the journalists code of ethics which was recently signed.

Government Response

The Committee was provided with the draft law.

A copy was attached for the steps that the government of Bahrain has taken to implement the recommendation, which also responds to a number of other recommendations and inquiries:

1- The national plan for social and economic reconciliation which is prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights and Social Development.

2- The Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Education and the International Commission on Education, a unit of UNESCO, which responds to the recommendation No. 1725, paragraph (a) as well.

3- Media reform plan prepared by the Commission of Public Information, which responds to the recommendation No. 1724, paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) as well.

The initiative of civil settlement undertaken by the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs and Endowments, which respond to the recommendation No. 1722 paragraphs (j) and (k) as well.

Relevant Legislation / Documents

Media Reform Plan

Most Recent Actions Taken