Bahraini medical centres and schools 'raided' (Medical workers arrested for treating protesters)

[Turborama]

Source: Al Jazeera English

Activists say security forces arrested medical workers in retribution for treating protesters injured in the uprising.
Last Modified: Apr 26 2011 21:51

Security forces have seized at least eight health workers from two separate medical facilities in Bahrain, sources tell Al Jazeera.

The Aali Health Centre in Manama was raided early on Tuesday morning, as shown in an image posted by an activist on Facebook. Medical staff working in the two centres were beaten and an unknown number were arrested.

Human rights groups have accused Bahrain of arresting patients and medical staff suspected of taking part in protests, and sacking hundreds of public workers. Bahrain says it targets only those who committed crimes during the unrest in March.

Mattar Ibrahim Mattar, a former member of parliament for Wefaq, the country's leading opposition group, told Al Jazeera that the families of medical staff who have been providing treatment to injured protesters were being arrested.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/04/2011426205632924276.html

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Due to the lack of corporate media interest and all the attention shiny objects like Donald "Balloon Boy" Trump are getting, I fully expect this OP to fall under the radar along with previous reports on what's been happening in Bahrain.


Bahrain: Below the radar
The Arab uprising that has failed to capture the international media's attention.
Listening Post | Last Modified: Apr 23 2011 13:57

On this week's show: Bahrain - a small kingdom cracking down on the media in a big way. Plus, a look at state media in post-revolution Egypt.

Along with other Arab nations in the region, Bahrain has been facing a period of momentous political upheaval. However, in terms of global news coverage, the story there has received comparatively less media exposure than events in Libya and Syria have in recent weeks and months. One reason is that the Bahraini authorities have learnt from the events in Tunisia and Egypt, reacting quickly to quash any dissent in local media and shutting out many international news organisations.

As the ruling Al-Khalifa family continues its campaign of repression and intimidation against local journalists, global news outlets continue to struggle to cover an uprising on an island that plays an important strategic role in the region. In our News Divide this week, we take a closer look at the draconian media environment imposed by the Bahraini authorities and the challenges and perils of covering an uprising that has literally divided the region along intra-religious lines.

Watch here: http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/listeningpost/2011/04/2011423132118992455.html

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please also see these related articles for background...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4773160">Military preventing medics from accessing Bahrain's largest hospital (Ring of tanks surrounding it)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4776879">UN warns Bahrain over crackdown (actions in breach of international humanitarian & human rights law)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4804345">Bahrain Hospitals 'Paralysed' By Unrest (Turned Into"Places To Be Feared" -Medecins Sans Frontieres)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4825082">Rights groups slam Bahraini crackdown (for targeting medical facilities & torture)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Click on this banner for in depth articles and video reports on the uprising in Bahrain...

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/spotlight/bahrain/">

[Alamuti Lotus]

1. surprised to see al-Jazeera writing these

The Arabic language service for al-Jazeera has been severely curtailed following the sinister Qatari-Saudi new-found friendship (common fear), so any coverage of Bahrain or anything else on the widespread uprisings in the Gulf have been given micro-coverage at best; it's Syria/Libya and nothing else anymore. It has resembled the awful al-Arabiya (the news station of King Fahd's brother in law) network more and more lately in terms of really obvious Saudi-funded propaganda for the monarchies.

I saw one report of a Bahraini nurse that was arrested because she was merely photographed crying over the body of a dead Shiite protester; ya it's become that crazy.

[Turborama]

2. All of the articles I posted links to at the bottom of the OP are from Al Jazeera English

Even though the 1st article is from ABC Australia, the rest of the OP is full of related articles and videos from Al Jazeera English: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=4773160

Do you speak Arabic and have you been checking Al Jazeera Arabic? I have been following what's been going on in Bahrian via Al Jazeera English on TV and their website as hardly any other news outlets seem to be covering it.

I thoroughly recommend watching the Listening Post video I linked to in the OP.

[Alamuti Lotus]

3. I do & have; the recent coverage 'style' change is really obvious and disappointing

the English service has been better as you've noted, but there's almost no open coverage on the ground as all the king's men have been suppressing anything left & right.

[Turborama]

4. Unfortunately, there has been no open coverage from on the ground, as you say.

I don't think we can blame Al Jazeera Arabic for that, though.

Thanks for the insight into how the Arabic channel differs in its reporting on this. Have you found any articles on their website which could be shown as an example?

[Hotler]

5. k&r n/t