Animaniacs: Bahrain's Unlawful Visitors?

The Kingdom of Bahrain has been deemed 'Not Free' in terms of Net Freedom and Press Freedom. The country is known for its censorship of information and repression of its people, including the jailing of journalists. In the reboot of the American animated series Animaniacs, Yakko, one of the three main characters, says Illegal in Bahrain-y in the intro to one episode. This has sparked discussion online about whether the show is banned in Bahrain. Some commenters have pointed out that Hulu, the streaming platform that picked up the show, is unavailable in Bahrain without a VPN. Others have noted that the line is likely just a play on words, as 'Bahrain' and 'Animaniacs' both contain the syllable 'ani'.

Hulu is banned in Bahrain

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain outlines freedoms of expression, press, and telecommunications in Articles 23-26. However, these clauses have been deemed open-ended and subject to arbitrary interpretation by Bahraini officials. In practice, these rights are not always upheld. Bahrain has a history of blocking messaging apps, news websites, and pro-democracy content. The government maintains control over the internet by requiring all websites to register with the Information Affairs Authority (IAA) and indirectly controlling Internet Service Providers (ISPs) through the Telecommunications Regulation Authority (TRA).

As a result of Bahrain's strict internet censorship, residents often resort to using Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to access geo-blocked and government-censored content while maintaining anonymity. VPNs encrypt internet traffic and route it through a server in another location, bypassing local restrictions. However, even the use of VPNs in Bahrain comes with risks, as individuals are frequently imprisoned for their online posts.

While Hulu is banned in Bahrain, residents with access to a VPN may be able to circumvent these restrictions and access the streaming platform. However, it is important to note that using a VPN in Bahrain can be risky, and individuals should be cautious and informed about the potential consequences.

Bahrain is deemed 'Not Free' in terms of Net Freedom and Press Freedom

The Bahraini constitution outlines freedoms of expression, press, and telecommunications in Articles 23-26. However, journalists argue that these clauses are open-ended and can be arbitrarily interpreted by officials. In practice, these rights are not upheld.

Since the 2011 pro-democracy protests, the government has cracked down on independent journalism and free expression. Journalists and activists who work online, including those based abroad, face intimidation, cyberattacks, and surveillance by state authorities. The government continues to block websites and force the removal of online content, particularly social media posts that are critical of the government.

The Press and Publication Law of 2002 has been strongly criticized as repressive. It prohibits any publications against the regime in power, averse to the state's official religion, breaching ethics, or jeopardizing public peace. Many journalists argue that this language can be arbitrarily interpreted and used to suppress dissent.

In addition to the repression of any anti-government sentiments, matters pertaining to human rights are heavily censored. Promotion of hatred, gambling, or pornography is also banned from websites and media sources.

Bahrain is known for censorship and repression of its people

The Kingdom of Bahrain is deemed 'Not Free' in terms of Net Freedom and Press Freedom by Freedom House. The country is a constitutional monarchy led by the Khalifa royal family, and it has been criticised by numerous organisations for its censorship of information and repression of its people. Bahrain is notorious for jailing journalists and has been ranked very poorly in terms of freedom of the press.

The Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain outlines freedoms of expression, press and telecommunications in Articles 23–26. However, many journalists argue that these clauses are open-ended and can be arbitrarily interpreted and that, in practice, these rights are not upheld. Since 2011, there has been a surge of uprisings and demonstrations against the current regime, as part of the Arab Spring movement. This opposition to the government has been met with increased repression and harsher censorship measures for dissidents.

The Bahraini government has been accused of using various repressive tactics to silence opposing figures, activists and journalists, including arrests, torture, and the revocation of citizenship. Matters pertaining to human rights are heavily censored, and the promotion of hatred, gambling or pornography is banned from websites and media sources. All major newspaper outlets within Bahrain are heavily influenced by the government, except for Al-Wasat, whose building headquarters was attacked by a crowd of pro-government supporters. Self-censorship occurs within the media, as many newspapers elect not to cover political or controversial subjects.

The Press and Publication Law of 2002 has been strongly criticised as repressive. It prohibits any publications against the regime in power, averse to the state's official religion, breaching ethics or jeopardising public peace. Bahraini journalists argue that this law can also be arbitrarily interpreted. The government maintains control over the internet by requiring all websites to register with the Information Affairs Authority (IAA) and indirectly controls Internet Service Providers (ISPs) through the Telecommunications Regulation Authority (TRA). The IAA and select government ministries can decide to block certain websites, and, according to Reporters Without Borders, over 1,000 websites have been blocked or shut down, including human rights websites, blogs, online forums and social media pages.

Numerous journalists have been jailed under arbitrary causes, and these arrests escalated during the uprisings of 2011. Bahrain has also executed six people since 2017, and, as of September 2023, 26 others remain on death row. The Bahraini government has discriminated against its Shia majority population, including by targeting Shia clerics and arresting and prosecuting human rights defenders from Shia backgrounds.

The concept of "self-censorship" has spread in Bahrain due to the government's suppression of the popular movement demanding reform and democracy. This extends beyond the self-censorship practiced by media and journalists to all segments of Bahraini society. Self-censorship is employed to avoid the consequences of legal prosecution and political retaliation for violating the regime, criticising it, or expressing an opinion on any public matter.

The Animaniacs line is likely a joke

The line is probably a play on words, as "Animanicas" and "Bahraini" both have the syllable "ani" in them. Additionally, it is unlikely that a cartoon made by the same people who made Freakazoid and Tiny Toons would be banned in Bahrain, as those shows were on TV in the country at the time.

The line may also be a reference to the fact that Hulu is banned in Bahrain. However, this is not the only country where Hulu is banned, so it is still surprising that Bahrain was singled out. One possible explanation is that the writers were looking for words that end in "-ain", and Bahrain happened to fit that criterion.

Animaniacs is produced by Hulu

Hulu, an American subscription streaming service, produced the Animaniacs reboot. The revival of the 1993 TV series was first announced in January 2018, with Hulu confirming a two-season order. The series premiered on Hulu on November 20, 2020, with the second season premiering on November 5, 2021, and the third and final season released on February 17, 2023.

Hulu's interest in reviving the series was sparked by a surge in popularity for the original show when it was made available on Netflix in 2016. The revival was officially announced by Hulu in partnership with Spielberg and Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. The broadcast rights for the new series also included rights for Hulu to stream all episodes of related shows, including Tiny Toon Adventures, Pinky and the Brain, and Pinky, Elmyra & the Brain.

Hulu considered the show its first original series targeted at families. The show's producer, Wellesley Wild, stated that they wanted to create a similar Jurassic World effect due to the similar gap from the original Jurassic Park film. Wild and co-executive producer Gabe Swarr developed the revival to be as close as possible to the original series. They also believed that a good portion of their audience would be parents who had watched the show as children and were now introducing their own children to the new show.

The Animaniacs reboot is currently streaming on Hulu and Disney+. Hulu initially beat out Netflix, Amazon, and Apple in a bidding war for the rights to the show. Beginning in December 2023, Hulu content became available on Disney+ for those subscribed to bundles containing the two channels.

Frequently asked questions