In October, the High Criminal Court convicted three journalists on charges of libeling Fatima Buali, former director of Dar al-Manar for Elderly Care, according to news reports. Saleh al-Amm, editor of the now-banned online newspaper Al-Sahafa, and journalists Fareed al-Shayeb and Muath al-Meshari were each fined 200 dinars (US$533) and ordered to pay 50 dinars (US$133) in damages, according to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights. The journalists wrote several articles that alleged mismanagement of Dar al-Manar, according to news reports.

Municipalities and Agricultural Affairs Minister Mansour Bin Rajab filed a criminal libel complaint against blogger Mahmood al-Yousif in February, according to news reports. In a December 2006 posting, the blogger took issue with Bin Rajab's positive characterization of the ministry's response to recent flooding. The minister withdrew his complaint in May after al-Yousif apologized, according to news reports.

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