Al Ayam reporter alleges abuse

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

A lawyer’s reported warning, “Do not write what happened in the session and do not stir public opinion,” was said to have disrupted proceedings at the High Criminal Court of Appeal on Sunday, when Al Ayam journalist Ali Tareef alleged he faced verbal abuse and an attempted assault while on routine coverage duty.

The confrontation was described as beginning outside the courtroom when the lawyer allegedly stopped Tareef and accused him of “inciting public opinion” through his reporting. According to accounts, the lawyer objected to the journalist’s presence in the session, despite it being an open hearing.

Escalating Confrontation

Witnesses claimed the exchange intensified when the lawyer raised his voice at the journalist and gestured toward a man standing nearby. The man, said to be the defendant’s brother, reportedly moved toward Tareef in what appeared to be an attempt to assault him.

Court security officers were reported to have stepped in quickly, preventing any physical contact and containing what could have been a serious breach of order in the courthouse.

Tareef was quoted as responding calmly, “I am doing my job as a journalist.” His statement highlighted the principle that court reporting is part of ensuring public awareness of legal proceedings.

Broader Concerns

Observers suggested that such confrontations may be seen as raising concerns over press safety in judicial spaces. Journalists regularly attend open hearings to promote legal awareness, and incidents like this, whether isolated or not, can lead to wider questions about the ability of reporters to operate freely.