Bahrain Mirror: The BBC said that the Bahraini authorities "have suspended the publication of the only independent newspaper in the Gulf Kingdom."

"The Bahraini Information Affairs Authority has suspended Al-Wasat newspaper until further notice," BBC added.

"The decision comes one day after the Bahraini Information Minister Issa bin Abdulrahman Al-Hammadi warned that the ministry will take legal measures against local media outlets that publish false information about Bahraini affairs," it further stated, pointing out that human rights organizations condemned this step and regarded it as an attempt to crack down the opposition.

The BBC also mentioned that "in 2011, in the aftermath of widespread unrest and pro-democracy protests, the paper was forced to shut down temporarily and its co-founder and board member, Karim Fakhrawy, was arrested and passed away while being in custody. Critics claim that he was tortured to death."

The Arabic Issue