Court Jails Man for Six Months for Spreading False News, Insulting Foreign Country

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Manama: The Fourth Minor Criminal Court has sentenced a man to six months in prison and fined him BD 200 after convicting him of broadcasting false news and insulting a foreign country.

During a previous hearing, the Public Prosecution submitted both written and oral arguments, calling for the maximum penalty to be imposed. The prosecution relied on verbal and technical evidence, the testimony of the investigating officer, and two video clips broadcast on a media channel in which the defendant allegedly made false statements and issued insults against a foreign country.

In its pleadings, the prosecution stressed the ‘responsibility attached to freedom of expression’, warning against the misuse of words to incite hatred, spread discord, or provoke unrest. The prosecutor noted that while freedom of opinion is protected, the law provides clear limits when speech threatens public order and national security.

The Public Prosecutor cited Article 23 of Bahrain’s Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression within the limits of the law and without prejudice to national unity or social cohesion. Reference was also made to Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which affirms freedom of expression while allowing lawful restrictions necessary to protect public order and security.

Reviewing the facts of the case, the prosecution stated that the defendant appeared on a television channel where he allegedly called for chaos and incitement, urging citizens to rise up against Arab regimes, which he described as submissive, and accusing several of collusion and conspiracy against the Palestinian cause.

The prosecution concluded that the defendant’s actions constituted the misdemeanour of deliberately broadcasting false news with knowledge of its potential harm to national security and public order, as well as the offence of insulting foreign countries, offences for which the court ultimately issued its ruling.