Bahrain Mirror: Journalist Ahmed Radhi said that the authorities prevented him on Thursday (July 7, 2016) from leaving Bahrain through the airport. Radhi was heading to a gulf state, however, was told to contact the criminal investigation department.

Radhi explained in a tweet on his own Twitter account that he was previously denied entering Saudi Arabia and was forcibly returned from Emirates, saying that reason behind this ban is perhaps "the security lists issued by the Bahraini Ministry of Interior."

He continued "issuing travel bans without a legal reason violates an inherent right of citizen and human rights," calling on the Ministry of Interior to give him clear and convincing reason because his name is not found on the no-fly list on the government's website. Radhi further stated that he has a certificate of good conduct from the criminal investigation department.

Radhi raised a question to the Minister of Interior saying "Is media and human rights activism a crime over which a citizens is punished by being prevented from traveling. Prevention is a punishment and there is no punishment in law except over a crime? What is my offense?"

The Bahraini authorities have lately banned a number of activists and media people from leaving the country and launched the severest crackdown against the opposition and the Shiite majority since March 2011.

للآسف تم منعي من السفر لدولة خليجية بمطار البحرين صباح اليوم الخميس ٧/٧/٢٠١٦ وطلب مني مراجعة التحقيقات الجنائية!!#bahrain #freebhpress

— Ahmed Radhi (@Ahmeddi99) July 7, 2016

Arabic Version