BAHRAIN: Where a Facebook 'like' gets you expelled

23 October 2011

For Eman Oun, 20, life was Bahrain Polytechnic. As a business student, she spent her days being an active member of the school's campus community. Even though the new academic year started on 18 September, Oun is stuck at home, writes Sara Yasin for Index on Censorship.

"I am supposed to be in a classroom right now" Oun told Index. She is one of 31 students permanently expelled from Bahrain Polytechnic for allegedly being involved in pro-democracy protests in February. Sixty-five students were initially investigated, and in June 63 students were expelled for "participating in unlicensed gatherings and marches" based on evidence mostly obtained from social media pages like Facebook. After an external review of the case, 32 of the expelled students were allowed to return to Bahrain Polytechnic.
Full report on the Index on Censorship site

Comment:

Facebook is a psychopath. It has no conscience. It has no empathy. It has no regrets. It is the most inhuman organisation existing today. If Facebook was a person it would be in gaol by now.

Giles Pickford

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