Information Affairs Authority

History and profile

It was formed in July 2010 by a decree of King Hamad separating the information portfolio from what was then known as the "Ministry of Culture and Information". The president of the Information Affairs Authority is appointed directly by the King of Bahrain and has the rank of a minister in the Bahrain government.

The first president of the Information Affairs Authority was Fawaz bin Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, who is a member of the Al Khalifa ruling family and a cousin of King Hamad and the current prime minister of Bahrain. Fawaz's father, Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, served as Bahrain's interior minister from 1973 until 2004. Fawaz's grandfather, Khalifa bin Hamad al Khalifa, served as the director general of Bahrain's Police and Public Security Department from 1937 until 1961. Fawaz's great-grandfather Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa was the ruler of Bahrain from 1932 until 1942. Prior to being appointed as president of the IAA, Fawaz served as the president of General Organisation for Youth and Sports.

Prior to the creation of the IAA in 2010, the information ministry was handled by Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa under the Ministry of Culture and Information.

In April 2012, the King appointed Sameera Rajab, an outspoken supporter of Saddam Hussain, and cousin of Human Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab, as the country's Minister of State for Information Affairs.

The responsibilities of the Authority include:

2011 Uprising

In 2011, the Information Affairs Authority came under criticism for its handling of the Bahraini uprising. According to the report issued in November 2011 by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry:

Having reviewed a selection of material from national television, radio and print media relating to the events of February/March 2011, the Commission notes that much of this material contained derogatory language and inflammatory coverage of events, and some may have been defamatory. However, the Commission did not find evidence of media coverage that constituted hate speech. The Commission also identified numerous examples of defamation, harassment and, in some cases, incitement through social media websites. Both pro- and anti-government journalists were targeted through social media. The Commission notes that six of the seven daily newspapers are pro-government and the broadcasting service is state- controlled. There is also sufficient evidence to suggest that the [Government of Bahrain] exercised censorship over local media outlets. The lack of adequate access to mainstream media creates frustration within opposition groups and results in these groups resorting to other media outlets such as social media. This can have a destabilising effect because social media outlets are both untraceable and unaccountable, even in extreme cases where they promulgate hate speech and incitement to violence.

The IAA was also criticized by Index on Censorship for its attempts to justify media censorship in Bahrain.

Notable people in the IAA