Bahrain: Court Confirms Man’s Suspended Jail Term for Abusing MOE on Social Media
A Bahraini man found himself in hot water after attempting to defame the Ministry of Education by posting toxic videos on social media. The Cassation Court has upheld the two-month suspended jail term issued by the trial court in a recent ruling that dismissed the defendant’s appeal.
The defendant had shared a video in 2021, lasting over 10 minutes, containing abusive language targeting the Ministry. It included numerous offensive remarks aimed directly at the Ministry’s reputation. However, the defendant argued that his comments fell within his rights of freedom of expression, asserting that his intention was to provide objective criticism for specific reasons.
However, the Court rejected his argument, stating that his use of offensive language had surpassed the boundaries of freedom of expression. As a result, the defendant was given a two-month jail term, which was suspended for three years on the condition that he refrains from committing a similar offence during that period.
