Bahraini journalist Faisal Hayyat detained over tweet about religion
| Publisher | Reporters Without Borders |
| Publication Date | 14 October 2016 |
| Cite as | Reporters Without Borders, Bahraini journalist Faisal Hayyat detained over tweet about religion, 14 October 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5800c6cf4.html [accessed 27 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns Bahraini journalist and blogger Faisal Hayyat's detention on the alleged grounds that he insulted religion in a tweet. Arrested after interrogation by the Criminal Investigation Directorate on 9 October, he is being held under a one-week detention order.
Faisal Hayyat has presented a weekly satirical broadcast about politics, business and social issues on his YouTube channel (Sha7wal) since 2013, and has tens of thousands of subscribers.
His arrest could also be a direct reaction to an open letter he posted on Facebook on 1 October criticizing the interior minister's comments about religious faith and his department's supposed respect for human rights in a speech that the minister gave on 29 September. Hayyat denounced the mistreatment he received while detained for nearly three months in 2011. During this detention, Hayyat was tortured and humiliated for participating in a march held to support journalists and to demand media freedom and the then interior minister's replacement.
"We condemn Faisal Hayyat's arbitrary detention, which reflects the Bahraini regime's determination to silence all critics, and we urge the authorities to free him immediately and unconditionally along with all the other journalists being held unjustly," said Alexandra El Khazen, the head of RSF's Middle East desk.
Hayyat is being held under article 309 of the criminal code, under which anyone defaming a recognized religious sect or ridiculing its rituals faces the possibility of a one-year prison sentence or a fine.
A former sports reporter and commentator, Hayyat used to work for the Qatari sports TV channel Al-Kass and for the newspaper Al-Bilad. More recently he has been active on several media platforms and social networks including Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Facebook.
Bahrain is ranked 162nd out of 180 countries in RSF's 2016 World Press Freedom Index.
