» Bahrain Roundup 2017
  • 2017: Five Martyrs, 300 Detainees Toll of Diraz Raid against Ayatollah Qassim’s Defenders
    2018-01-09

    The Bahraini authorities started its first attempt to disperse the Diraz sit-in, which had been staged since June 20, 2016 outside the house of Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, following a decision revoking his nationality.

  • 2017: Citizenships of 155 Bahrainis Revoked in Politically-Motivated Cases
    2018-01-09

    The year 2017 witnessed the revocation of 155 citizenships of Bahrainis, due to politically-motivated cases. On average, that would be 13 citizenship revocations every month.

  • 2017: HRC Imposes 175 New Recommendations in UPR, Bahrain Rejects 36 of Them
    2018-01-08

    On May 1, 2017, the UN Human Rights Council examined Bahrain's human rights record by working group on the UPR, for the third time since the launch of this strategy. The first UPR on Bahrain was held in April 2008, while the second one was held in May 2012.

  • 2017: Bahraini Regime Executes 3 Dissidents as Gift to Emirates
    2018-01-08

    While Bahrainis were still exchanging New Year's greetings in 2017, the Bahraini regime surprised them with the toughest news; Abbas Al-Samie (26 years), Sami Mushaima (40 years) and Ali Al-Singace (21 years) will be the first to be executed in Bahrain within 6 years after the uprising. The authorities have not executed any political death sentences since they executed martyr Isa Kambar in March 1996.

  • 2017: Rida Al-Ghasra and His Companions from “Jaw” Dark Rooms to “Martyrs in the Sea”
    2018-01-08

    With the onset of 2017, the Ministry of Interior announced that 10 individuals fled the prison. Inmate Rida Al-Ghasra and 9 others escaped. Therefore, the prison administration and two senior officials from the Interior Minister were referred to investigation.

  • 2017: Wa’ad Society Dissolution Ends Public Political Work in Bahrain
    2018-01-08

    2017 came to put an end to public political work in the country through dissolving the National Democratic Action Society (Wa'ad), the second largest opposing society in Bahrain. On March 6, 2017, Bahraini Minister of Justice announced filing a lawsuit demanding to dissolve "Wa'ad", accusing it of "promoting forceful overthrow of political regime". The ministry said that "The society committed gross violations in breach of the Kingdom's laws, including incitement of acts of terrorism and promoting violent and forceful overthrow of political regime. The society glorified convicted terrorists and saboteurs who used weapons, detonated bombs in killing and wounding several security men, supporting parties who were legally convict

  • 2017: Bahrain without Independent Newspaper after Al-Wasat Suspension
    2018-01-08

    The Bahraini authorities decided to silence the last independent media voice through its decision to suspend the opposition-linked Al-Wasat newspaper, as part of the most aggressive campaign against the opposition since 2011.

  • 2017: Disputes with Qatar Create New Accusations against Bahrain Opposition
    2018-01-08

    The royal family in Bahrain never stopped accusing the opposition of being loyal to or working for foreign powers, in a bid to topple the regime. The accusation never changed, but the accused countries do.

  • 2017: A Year of Executions; 3 Dissidents Executed, 14 Face Death Row Verdicts
    2018-01-08

    A year of executions. This could probably best describe 2017, the year in which the royal family was focused on executing and killing innocent people. This is the year that started with the execution of 3 dissidents, and ended with issuing death sentences against 6 others in a military court.

  • 2017: This is Bahrain; 15 Martyrs, 14 Death Sentences, Al-Wasat Suspension, Wa’ad Dissolution, Diraz Raid, Israeli Visit
    2018-01-08

    2017 was an exhausting year with rougher escalating violence. The political situation ended its 6th year falling deeper into crisis, with eradicating freedom of expression and opinion, issuing harsher and retaliating judicial verdicts. Everything is heading towards ending the last margin of the "state", and in return rule with oppression, tyranny, and suppression of voices and lives.