Press Gazette
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23rd June 2017
Gulf media crackdown: Bahrain closes down nation’s ‘only independent newspaper’ Al-Wasat – Press Gazette
Amidst increasing restrictions on the press in the Gulf nation, authorities in Bahrain have shut down Al-Wasat, the country’s only independent newspaper, Human Rights Watch (HRW) reports.
HRW quoted a Government statement claiming Al-Wasat had “created discord and damaged Bahrain’s relations with other countries”.
HRW then cited the fact the paper, based in the city of Manama, had reported a rural uprising in al-Hoceima, Morocco and expressed sympathy for protestors.
Bahrain is ranked 164 out