Qatar-run fake social media accounts detected

Manama, July 21 (BNA): The monitoring of recent social media posts has shown a systematic targeting of Bahrain to compromise its national interests by influencing public opinion on various issues, including naturalisation, to damage the close and special Bahraini-Saudi relations and hit the economy by circulating false information through fake accounts run from Qatar and by the wanted fugitives facing justice. The Ministry of Interior clarified that such accounts tend to instigate disturbances and sedition and incite hatred, in an attempt to undermine Bahrain’s social fabric and jeopardise the upcoming parliamentary elections by negatively focusing on a number of issues, including the new pension scheme, to negatively swing the public opinion and distort the Bahraini identity to project it as having negative characteristics. In general, these threats constitute a purposeful assault against the citizens although they are immune to the risks such attempts pose and have proven through history their firm stand on national values thanks to their awareness and sincere determination to foil all attempts targeting security and social peace, the Ministry said. Therefore, the Ministry of Interior with a view to inform the public about the latest developments on the score of their security and safety, and on account of its legal responsibility to maintain security and order, through the General Directorate of Anti-corruption and Economic and Electronic Security continues to monitor the social media accounts that violate the law and harm civil peace and the social fabric. Legal action has also been taken in this regard. The Ministry of Interior affirmed the constitutional principles that protect the citizens’ rights, especially their freedom of expression, and urged them to follow the laws relating to such rights and ensure that the information they circulate is credible by obtaining it from official sources. They should not post malicious rumours that go against security and civil peace. The Ministry of Interior called upon the public to be cautious and avoid recirculating false reports, as the current stage requires joint efforts, unity, an awareness to protect the nation’s supreme interests, and civil peace as the strengthening of national unity is the responsibility of all. The Ministry of Interior urged everyone to assume responsibility to control the risks posed by the social media and reduce its negative impact. The current phase is crucial and requires everyone to remain firm in the face of threats and avoid drifting towards destructive ideas. It called upon citizens, journalists, media figures and all organisations in the Kingdom to perform their role in spreading awareness to protect society from the threats posed by the social media and ensure positive public opinions that challenge such campaigns through the commitment to the law and consideration for the Arab values and traditions of Bahraini society.