The Minister urged foreign press and news agencies and their correspondents to verify the truth and objectivity in discussing Bahraini affairs as per professional ethics and norms and international treaties, and to obtain media-related entry visas in compliance with applicable laws.
The Minister emphasized the continuity of reformation and modernization in the Kingdom of Bahrain and firmly pushing towards national consensus dialogue as part of implementation of BICI’s recommendations, and she rejected the instigation of acts of violence against expatriate workforce out of false slogans or under the guise of “human rights” or “peaceful demonstrations”.
The Minister, in a letter to The New York Times and The Herald Tribute, denounced press reports published by Nick Kristof dated 22 and 24 December 2012 that included false allegations surrounding whereabouts of his detention, pointing out that he had been denied entry into the Kingdom because he failed to submit an official application so as to obtain a media-related entry visa, in accordance with the regulations applicable for all journalists regardless of their nationality similar to regulations applicable in the United States of America.
The Minister pointed out that the Information Affairs Authority (IAA) dispatched an official letter of protest to the Associated Press (US-Incorporated) regarding report compiled by its reporter in the Kingdom of Bahrain – Reem Khalifa – published on 8th December 2012 which included a purposeful stark falsification, of the speech of the Saudi Arabian Deputy Foreign Minister during the (Manama Dialogue), tantamount to a gross breaching of professional ethics, honesty and truthfulness as stipulated under the Press Law and all international conventions. Hence, the IAA reserves its right to pursue the necessary legal action.
The Minister urged foreign media to comply with constructive professional principles by presenting balanced and fair news coverage and including multi-lateral viewpoints and giving equal opportunity to all sides in order to reply to erroneous allegations in order to contribute in conveying a precise and correct picture and real situation and events.