On 8 August 2019, the European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) and fourteen other NGOs have written a letter to Amal Clooney regarding the restrictions on freedom of expression and freedom of press in Bahrain.
The letter addresses the alarming violations of freedom of expression that have been occurring in Bahrain. As a matter of fact, the country ranked 167th out of 180 countries on the Reporters without Borders Press Freedom Index for the year 2019.
After the forced closure of the independent newspaper Al-Wasat, in 2017, the repression has intensified. Journalists, activists and human rights defenders are prevented from conduct their work properly. They are usually targeted for their activity and stripped of their citizenship as a reprisal.
Furthermore, the letter points out the extensive use of the anti-terror law and the cybercrime law to criminalise activists.
The European Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) welcomes the joint letter. Furthermore, it condemns the human rights violations, with a special regard on freedom of expression and freedom of press restrictions, occurring in Bahrain.