Reem Khalifa
| Reem Abdul Rahman Khalifa is a Bahraini journalist and human rights defender who has worked for the Associated Press in Manama and was previously a columnist for Al-Wasat and Al Raya. She is also a co-founder of the Migrant Workers Protection Society and the Bahrain Society Against Domestic Violence. Reem Khalifa played a prominent role in covering the 2011 pro-democracy uprising in Bahrain, describing the violent police crackdown on protestors as a “real massacre”, which led to a defamation lawsuit brought against her by the government in retaliation. In July 2011, during a press conference held with an Irish delegation, Khalifa was physically harassed and insulted by pro-government individuals. Following this incident, she was charged with assaulting two women doctors and insulting a third, despite video footage suggesting that she herself had been the victim. On 13 November 2012, the Manama Court of Appeals upheld her conviction, imposing a 100 bahraini dinars (around 265 USD) fine along with 500 bahraini dinars (around 1300 USD) in compensation. The ruling was widely condemned by human rights observers as lacking judicial independence and fairness. Throughout the legal proceedings, Reem Khalifa faced a public smear campaign led by state media and pro-government social media accounts. Investigators ignored exculpatory evidence and failed to consider the testimony of defence witnesses. Despite the harassment and intimidation, Khalifa has continued to work as an independent journalist reporting on political repression and human rights violations in Bahrain. |
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Details
- Name Reem Khalifa
- Country : Bahrain
- City : Manama
- Gender Female
- Profession Journalist Violations
- Defamation Judicial harassment Physical Assault Prohibition to practice Journalism Trumped up charges
- Status Safe
Related Actions
BahrainGulf Centre for Human Rights Observed the Trials of Journalist Reem Khalifa and the Teacher Association
