Bahrain arrests 4 American journalists during protests
DUBAI: Bahraini authorities have arrested four Americans during protests marking the fifth anniversary of a Shiite-led uprising in the kingdom, US and Bahraini authorities said Monday, drawing condemnation from rights groups.
They include an independent journalist named Anna Therese Day and three members of her camera crew, according to a statement issued by Day’s family.
Police said four Americans, among them a woman, were arrested around the Shiite town of Sitra on Sunday during clashes between security forces and protesters, in a statement published by the official Bahrain News Agency.
“One of them was masked and taking part with a group of saboteurs in Sitra in acts of rioting and sabotage and attacks on security officials,” it said.
“The other three were arrested at a security checkpoint in the same area.”
The four entered Bahrain between February 11 and 12 and “provided false information to concerned authorities” claiming to be tourists, police said.
“Some of those arrested had carried out journalistic activities without permission from concerned authorities, in addition to carrying out illegal acts.”
The US State Department said it was aware of reports that Americans had been arrested in
One of them was masked and taking part with a group of saboteurs in Sitra in acts of rioting and sabotage and attacks on security officials.The other three were arrested at a security checkpoint in the same area.
Bahrain authorities statement
Bahrain but declined to comment further, citing privacy concerns.
Day’s family said the four were committed journalists and denied they had done anything wrong, calling for their immediate release.
“The allegation that they were in any way involved in illegal behaviour or anything other than journalistic activities is impossible,” a spokesperson for the family said in a statement.
Rights groups also criticised their detention, with the New York-based Committee t o Protect Journalists branding Bahrain “one of the worst jailers of journalists in the Arab world”. — AFP