Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Only a photo stands between them and the danger, a moment of repression or an intentional shot. They hold their equipments on their shoulders and chase the hard moments as quickly as the wind. They are the snipers of the unrepeated moments and the expressions that save the hardest and most painful stories. They venture their lives to show people that Bahrain still has lot of stories to tell and is still alive as long as a photo reveals Bahrain's pulse. That's why the tyrannical regime made sure to suppress photos because they (photos) fix what the former wants to remove: the pulse. Being the witnesses of the pulse, photographers were ever targeted. 

The 22-year-old sniper, Ahmad Ismail, was the first to be martyred. He was directly shot to death when he was photographing one of the demonstrations in Salmabad using his own video camera. Meanwhile, a number of photo snipers where arrested and tortured since the uprising suppression on March 2011, among them were photographers of global news agencies and holders of international awards in global photography competitions. These photographers are still targeted till now. Some were set free, whereas others were judged and the rest are still imprisoned for holding their cameras.

A table of targeted photographers:

This table includes the most prominent photographers who have been targeted, arrested and tortured since March 2011 and till now. It holds the documented names of well known photographers whose issues and names were published.

Despite this fact, the photographers' number is in a continual increase, some left the battle field and some enter it. Youth, girls and boys are venturing their lives to grab the attention on an issue they believe in.

How do these photographers live their shooting moments? What dangers do they face? What are their hardest situations?

This report tries to give answers for the aforementioned questions through Bahrain's Mirror meeting with 10 photographers. We used nicknames just to differentiate among the experiences.

I threw myself from a three height floor...

The photographer Hassan (23 years) is independent and does not follow any party. He shares his

 captured photos on social networking sites which some are of his own and others are public; to all regions.

Hassan intends to attend all the martyrs funerals and central marches in the cities that witness daily uprisings. The faces with pain and resilience signs attract his lens, faces which weep on the martyrs' bodies saying the last words on the corpse washer, and faces which glow upon photographing the Bahraini moments of resistance and resilience which they simply show. In front of these snapshots, his lens stands with obedience.

Hassan always covers one region, thus he is well known among its citizens and does not need to cover his face while photographing. He talks about the danger of being present in the uprising place and close to the clashes, "it is very dangerous, my continual and direct targeting when photographing made me sure that everyone with a camera is targeted". He adds, "I was shot 5 times by shotguns ( shozen ), and once I was directly and deliberately shot by tear gas which lead to breaking my leg. Moreover, I was chased in several countries.

The most dangerous situation experienced by Hassan was when he had to drop himself from a three height floor to survive mercenary forces chases when covering one of the protests in one country in the afternoon. "I still suffer from back pain but thanks God I could survive", Hassan says.

This is not all, Hassan was about to fall once in the hands of the special security forces. "On one of the marches in the afternoon, the special security forces took us by surprise and we could not run away before they reach us. I was caught, but thank God I could escape. I was also chased by the special security forces cars and could escape too, but my lens got broken."

Jumping from one fence to another...

The independent 37-year-old photographer Ali shares his photos on social media networks. His photos often carry his real name and he sends some of them to human rights bodies and "Bahrain Mirror" website. He dislikes dealing with unknown networks. Ali makes sure to be present at all the martyrs funerals, organizations marches and the major reported coalition activists, in addition to the marches and activists in the countries that witness an extra-ordinary event.
He tends to take photos that reveal feelings at martyrs' funerals: the angry sad faces of the family and mourners, the raised fists accompanied with scorched screams, the carried signboards and pictures which call for peoples' demands. Ali also focuses on documenting the violations done with suppression process. He also likes to photograph scenes which combine the Bahraini flag and matching costume and thinks, "Women have their own art and style in showing the color and national harmony." 

Ali also thinks that 40% of security should be supplied for the photographing and in case not found, it is better to take several snapshots and leave quickly or hide. The snapshot only takes a second and some shots may not be repeated again."

He hates to cover his face, but he does not give anyone the chance to photo it. However, he is ready to bear the consequences, "I am photographing and I am not doing a prohibited action. It is my right as a photographer to take shots and share them even if I got arrested; I am ready to bear the consequences."

Like other photographers, Ali was targeted, "I was targeted more than once by C-4 explosives and twice by shotguns ( shozen ) on 14 February. On the funeral of the martyr Hassan AlJaziri, I was closely targeted and chased in an event in Mugaba village. They broke into the house, but because we know its inhabitants, we climbed their fence to the second neighboring home and the third until we could escape. Luckily, they have not surrounded the whole region at that time, but my lens got broken". Ali continues, "At that day, I was going to be run over at Sanabis. I was surprised by a security car because I was running from another patrol in a nearby street but I could reach a safe home and left them behind me by entering a sub-alley, which their car cannot enter."

One of the hardest situations I faced was when the mercenary forces surrounded the home in which the protestors and I were hiding. The home was full of protestors and there was no way to escape, meanwhile, the mercenary forces stayed outside surrounding us. "We spent two hours of alert, we did not know if the forces would invade the home or not - it was a very hard and long time-the forces left at sunset and then we could get out", Ali explains.

I was crashed, arrested and the women untied me ...

Mohammad (24 years) from Sanabis is an independent photographer, who personally shares his

 photos on social networking sites and also sends them to Al-Wefaq. He is interested in attending youth events that take place in the protest areas. Mohammad sees that "these events are not usually properly covered by media, unlike licensed events."Mohammad's lens captures the marvel of participants' diversity in the daily protests which are held in several regions". "I am surprised to find children, youth, adults and old people in the same marches", he adds. He focuses on photographing in his village, but also goes to other regions. He (Mohammad) does not face problems with people of other regions when he goes to take photos of them. However, Mohammad continues "they warn me to take back shots and not frontal ones in order not to allow the repressive regime to use their faces in targeting, arresting, or torturing the participants."

Mohammad faced a lot of dangerous situations during covering number of clashes. He was directly targeted once by a sonic boom that hit his car glass. He then published the video. 

Once again he was subjected to chasing and crash trial, Mohammad says "my leg was run over  the wheel's edge of the mercenary vehicle, but I was able to escape." On his third time, a civil car stopped him while he was sitting in his car, taking photos of an event. Inside the car was a group of civil mercenaries who stole his phone and asked him to follow them if he wants it back." The last time, he adds, "I was arrested from one of the houses after being chased with a group of protestors. I was severely hit and if the group of women who untied me did not enter to help me, I would have been imprisoned now with a charge of any kind."

(100 Shotguns (shozen...

The first shoot that hit the young photographer (Ahmad-26 years) was on 17 February when the government disbanded, by force, a protest at Pearl Roundabout for the first time. Ahmad says, "more than 100 shotguns ( shozen ) penetrated into my body and scattered inside. After that, I got used to the injuries while photographing." Ahmad covers his face while taking photos to protect himself from personal targeting and arrest, yet he did not escape being arrested. He adds, "I was arrested while covering the funeral of Mohammad Khamis Al-Khanizi in Jidhafs on 21 January 2012. I was beaten and tortured because I was holding a camera, my health deteriorated due to hitting and I stayed at the castle's hospital for 9 days. The medical report mentioned that I suffered from bone break in my left knee and traumatism in my skull and whole body." Ahmad continues, "My third camera got broken." On 4 October 2012, Ahmad was called to the investigation building where he was threatened.

Ahmad attends at all protests, whether licensed or not, he also covers all the regions and gets attracted to photographing the civil resistance between the protestors and security forces. Yet, he sees that protestors fear the unknown photographers, especially those who cover their faces. "I will only mention an incident that happened with me at Budaiya Street when more than 3 protestors gathered around me and asked me politely to uncover my face to feel safe with my presence. When I did so, one of the protestor got shocked because he knows me."

They broke and entered into the house to search for me...

19-year-old Abdullah is an independent photographer. He, with the help of different groups, shares his photos on the social networking sites. He attends the political associations' marches, martyrs funerals and mass marches. The unrepeated individual shots call his attention and he emphasizes, "The photographer faces a lot of dangerous clashes such as mercenary forces direct targeting and spy chases. These spies appear as protestors in the clashes and disclose the homes the protestors flee to in order to get them attacked by surprise and arrested." 

Abdullah only hides his face in the unlicensed protests and sees that protestors worry when taking photos of their faces, "they feel afraid and cautious about the arrests that happened in 2011 as a result of photos." Abdullah tells us about the risky situations he faced, "While preparing for 14 August 2013 protest, some guys were closing the streets at one roundabout and I was taking photos. Before the guys finished, the mercenary forces arrived and attacked the protestors. I tried to run away holding my professional camera, but they were so close to me and could see the house I tried to hide in, so they broke and entered into the house. I was then fortunately able to hide and run away. However, they hit the boys who were outside the house."

They hit me, threatened me and set me free...

A 23-year-old photographer, Abbass, works for a news agency without permission from the

 Information Affairs Authority. He attends at martyrs funerals, licensed marches and night clashes in his region. Rarely does Abbass go to cover clashes outside his region, he explains, "I rarely cover clashes and unlicensed marches outside my region, because I don't have permission from the Information Affairs Authority, thus when I get caught by the security forces I will be arrested for breaching the law and I might be charged for assembling in addition to confiscating my photographing equipments."

Abbass focuses on the photos that reveal the violations exercised on the protestors. In the clashes, he wears a protective mask from tear gas. He notices that protestors are interested in the presence of media and photographers in protests or marches, " The Bahraini feel that there is a media blackout on the movement taking place in Bahrain, that's why they feel happy when finding media reporters or photographers in order to break this blackout. They welcome the foreign photographer but are cautious from the anonymous ones, especially if they focus on faces for he might be in a place of doubt." Thus, when Abbass goes to another region he accompanies a well-known and confidential person to the said region to let people feel safe." 

Abbass was aimed at, several times, by gunshots, he was shot twice with shotguns ( shozen ), and got attacked by the mercenary, who brutally hit him, threatened him and then set him free.

Habib is a 21-year-old independent photographer, usually present in the unlicensed activities and associations. He believes, "Being present at unlicensed marches subjects you to direct attack, shots and chasing by the regime." Habib covers his face while photographing the unlicensed activities that take place in regions witnessing daily protests. He was chased several times during his coverage to events and he always races the wind to run away from the regime. Furthermore, he was directly shot by tear gas. His hardest situation was a sudden attack by a mercenary group which surprisingly got out of one alley and quickly chased the protestors. After great efforts, Habib could escape.

C-4 Shots, chases, and run over attempts ...

Adam (21 years) is an independent photographer who covers the events and sends his photos to social networking sites via Facebook. He also publishes them on "Demotix global website and sends some to Al-Wefaq Association and Bahrain Mirror." He makes sure to be present at the moments of clashes. His lens quickly captures "scenes of clashes between protestors and security forces, scenes of protestor resilience against the toxic gases and the emotional images of women and children."

Adam encounters a lot of questions by the protestors in some regions because he covers his face while photographing. They want to make sure which party does he support (with us or against us), Adam tells that one time he had to unveil his face to one of a well-known and confidential person to the protestors and whom he personally knows to dispel any doubts and ease them: Don't worry, he is with us.

He states, "I almost got shot several times in my head and legs by C-4 shots. Like all photographers, I was shot by Shotguns ( shozen ) in addition to suffering from suffocation as a result of tear gas. I was also subjected to several run over attempts; I had once to jump over the houses' fences holding my camera which caused it a lot of damage."

(I could not escape from arrest, detention and shotguns (shozen ...

Hussein (38 years) works for a news agency, so the nature of his jobs requires covering all events related to the political situation including protests, demonstrations, clashes and press conferences. He gets attracted to the snapshots that directly and clearly reflect the real human rights and political situation and their effects on people, their (people) reactions and daily life. Hussein focuses on photographing (women situation) in the daily movement, which maybe caused some irritation between him and the citizens. Some did not allow him to photo the women's side of funeral, however, "Most of the people who did not allow me to take photos were not the victim's relatives."

According to him, he does not face extreme danger because he holds an official permission as a news photographer to all events including the clashes. He says, "The danger increases when being in the middle of the clashes and random performances." Hussein covers events of different types and places and he is welcomed by the protestors everywhere.

Despite owning an official permission as a news photographer, he did not escape from several arrests and detentions by the police during covering protests. He neither escaped from getting shot by Shotguns ( shozen ) more than once.

They hit her by the rifle butts and stole her camera...

A female photographer was hit by mercenary rifle butts during her coverage to one of the unlicensed

 marches. The mercenary forces surrounded her and stole her camera before the activist (Mohammad Al-Tal) and number of the martyrs' fathers interfered to help her. They did not return her camera and the officer said that he does not know who took it.

This situation did not cause the girl any mentioned harm, although it was physical and materialistic. However, she faced another situation which caused her a psychological harm, when she was a place of doubt by activists in a licensed protest. While she tried to photograph one of the activists in one of the licensed political association marches, she got surprised finding him turning his face away from her. She then took a photo for an activist, this latter did not complain but she approached after a while and asked her to delete the photo in order not to cause harm for any who appeared with her in the photo. The activist clearly asked her, are you with or against us? This question negatively affected the photographer's psychological state, who stopped taking photos although the march was licensed. She knew that she was suspected due to the veil she was wearing to hide her face and people thought she was another girl.

The martyr Mahmoud Al Aradi risked his life to save me...

Amal (39 years), an independent photographer, was shot in her leg to prevent her from photographing in an association event. She was also shot in her back during an attack on a peaceful protest rally for coalition of 14 February. She intends to be present in all licensed or unlicensed event. She gets attracted to the scenes that reveal the peaceful movements of the oppressed Bahraini people.

The hardest situation Amal ever faced was during the funeral of the martyr of Eid Ali Al-cheikh in 2012, "a guy was shot in front me and I was trying to help him stand up but I choked by the tear gas; the thing that pushed some guys who were running from the oppression and direct shooting to return to help me. I felt afraid that they get caught while helping me. The most painful situation was when I discovered later on that the young man who risked his life and helped me was the martyr Mahmoud Al Aradi who was targeted in a mysterious accident which ended his life in August.

As such, photo snipers spend their times in the fields of danger. They live among arrest threatens, direct shooting, run over, suffocating, or jumping from houses and fences, yet, they do not get tired. They try to complete the scene which sometimes gets completed by them. Sometimes they pay their lives for this scene.

Link to the Arabic copy