Bahraini authorities have arrested dozens of individuals for exercising their right to peaceful expression amid escalating regional conflict, with some facing the possibility of the death penalty, Human Rights Watch reported Friday.
The arrests, which began on February 28, 2026, following increased attacks between Israel, the United States, and Iran, target individuals mourning the death of Ayatollah Khamenei, Iran’s former Supreme Leader, protesting U.S. And Israeli strikes in Iran, or sharing footage of the attacks on social media, according to the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and activists tracking the cases.
On March 6, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry’s Civil Defense Council banned protests, citing “blatant Iranian aggression against the Kingdom of Bahrain.” The Ministry has since announced the detention of at least 40 people accused of “abusing” social media or “expressing sympathy for Iranian aggression, which constitutes treason.”
Hussein Naji and Ali Mahdi were detained on March 1 while peacefully marching toward the U.S. Embassy to protest attacks on Iran. Family members and witnesses confirmed the protest was non-violent, but authorities allege the men were “inciting hatred against the [Bahraini] government” and “causing public disorder during war,” as well as “supporting and endorsing a state hostile to Bahrain.”
Muneer Mirza Ahmed Mushaima was arrested at his home on March 4 by approximately 30 individuals, some in civilian clothes identifying themselves as members of the Interior Ministry’s “Order Preservation Force.” His wife, Fatima Mansor, provided video evidence showing multiple patrol vehicles and personnel arriving at their residence. Mansor stated that authorities did not present any search or arrest warrants and accused her husband of running a social media account with unlawful content, a claim he denied.
Youssef Ahmed reported that plainclothes police officers questioned him and his 16-year-aged son at their home on March 8, examining the son’s phone before arresting Ahmed the following afternoon. He stated he was given no reason for his son’s arrest and has received no information about his whereabouts.
Several detainees have reportedly been denied access to legal counsel or family contact for days following their arrest. Badoor Abdulhameed, detained for her social media posts, was allegedly not permitted to contact her family for five days, raising concerns about potential enforced disappearances – a practice prohibited under international law.
The crackdown extends to migrant workers, who comprise over 53 percent of Bahrain’s population and are governed by a visa sponsorship system. One migrant worker, who has been in Bahrain for seven years, stated that employers have warned them against posting anything “risky” on social media, fearing repercussions.
On March 9, Bahrain’s Public Prosecution announced it had requested the court issue death sentences for some defendants accused of “espionage.” The same day, the Interior Ministry’s Police Media Center announced the arrest of five Pakistani men and one Bangladeshi man for allegedly filming and sharing videos related to Iranian attacks, expressing sympathy for those acts.
Human Rights Watch has also received reports of nearby explosions at Dry Dock and Jau prisons during Iranian attacks, raising concerns for the safety of detainees. Abdulhadi al-Khawaja and Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Muqdad, both detained since 2011 and suffering from serious health issues, are held at Jau prison.
Niku Jafarnia, Yemen and Bahrain researcher at Human Rights Watch, stated, “Bahraini authorities are using the cover of war to justify further violations against the population of Bahrain, including migrant workers.”
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