Open Code of Ethics

Proposed Bloggers’ Code of Ethics Against Sectarianism

July 2, 2008 · print · email

We have discussed this issue many times before, and we have successfully launched the Just Bahraini campaign, I believe that in the current circumstances, it is time to notch it up higher, and as bloggers, stand united together against sectarianism and discrimination in all their forms.

Therefore, I propose the following code to be adopted and signed by all Electronic Publishers, be they bloggers, webmasters, forum moderators, etc.

The code was the result of discussions with friend and journalist Ahmed Al-Aradi of Al-Waqt who wrote an excellent series of articles about the situation in Bahrain entitled “The Manufacture of Hatred”. The code he wrote was based on the previously published Bloggers’ Code of Ethics. He has retooled that to create this new code specifically targeted to alleviate sectarianism and the propagation of hate in the electronic sphere.

I suggest we review the following text and come to an agreement on the final code which I propose that we all sign physically and electronically on the International Blog Day which coincides with the 31st of August.

The Websites Code of Ethics (sites without sectarianism)

We the undersigned, owners of the websites, forums, and blogs, being managers, supervisors, controllers, participators and stakeholders,

declare, each according to his/her position and sincere national role, our being bound to this code entitled (sites without sectarianism), announcing to the public what follows:

1. The freedom of expression is guaranteed by the Constitution. It is an asset that cannot be eliminated, being an integral part of the fundamental freedoms laid down by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the National Action Charter and the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, provided that this freedom is a responsible freedom in the maintenance of the social fabric and provided that it does not infringe upon the others’ freedoms and religious or doctrinal belongings.
2. We seek freely and fairly raise the level of dialogue and discussion within the democratic frame, apart from any sectarian, racist or family suggestions.
3. We refuse any suggestion or writings including a sectarian concept or an incitement to hatred, an abuse of the freedom of religion, doctrine or belief.
4. our duty is to protect religions in the light of the religious values, morals, customs, traditions and inherent Bahraini heritage, based on forgiveness, solidarity and cooperation, without giving precedence to the interests of any religious, doctrinal, sectarian or family category over another or attacking any of them, no matter how different they are from our religious and doctrinal components or faith.
5. we seek through our management, control, supervision and participation in the sites, forums and blogs, the service of the country with all its categories, currents and trends under the pluralist freedom, based on the understanding, negotiation, and exchange of points of view without any sectarian, doctrinal, or family allusions.
6. We expressly and strongly refuse any fanatic suggestion whether at the religious, doctrinal or sectarian level of any religion or sect and we declare our refusing position of all what enhances the separation between the one society members, due to the damages it may cause to the national unity.
7. We insist on our full compliance with all what is suggested on our sites and in our forums and blogs subject to the national line unity, and we will take a strict position in confronting personalities or sects that want to destroy such sites, forums or blogs, instead of criticizing positions and decisions.

[Note: I am including the entire English text because this should not just be for
Bahraini bloggers but for all netizens.]

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