Bahrain Refuses Reporters Visa Requests
Bahraini authorities have rejected visa requests by journalists to cover the first anniversary of the pro-democracy Shiite-led protest that was brutally crushed.
The Information Affairs Authority (IAA) told Agence France Presse on Tuesday it was unable to process a visa for one of its reporters "due to the high volume of applications."
The authorities have yet to respond to AFP's request to accredit a local photographer, after having banned AFP's local correspondent from reporting last spring.
Several other international media organizations told AFP their requests for visas to the Gulf kingdom had also been turned down.
IAA president Sheikh Fawaz bin Mohammed al-Khalifa issued a subsequent statement on Wednesday insisting that the refusal of visas came after the authorities "received an unusually high volume of media visa requests for the period from February 11th - 18th."
He said that teams from many "major media outlets" were expected in Bahrain in the coming two weeks.
The official claimed that in some cases, several journalists from one media organization applied for visas, and that the IAA wanted to have a "wide range of international media" in the country.
The decision comes as activists prepare to commemorate the anniversary of the month-long protest that began on February 14, taking its cue from Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
Activists have announced plans to march to Manama's former Pearl Square, the focal point of the protest, which was razed after a deadly crackdown on the movement in mid-March.
The clampdown led to the deaths of 35 people, including five security personnel and five detainees who were tortured to death, an independent commission of inquiry appointed by King Hamad found.
Source: Agence France Presse
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