AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): According to reports, the measures come amid heightened regional tensions following the U.S.-Iran conflict and subsequent Iranian missile and drone strikes targeting locations linked to U.S. military operations in the Gulf. As security concerns have increased across the region, Bahraini authorities have reportedly expanded domestic security measures, particularly affecting Shiite citizens.
Human rights advocates and opposition figures allege that the crackdown has included arbitrary arrests, interrogations, restrictions on religious activities, and the seizure of assets belonging to Shiite institutions, including mosques, Hussainiyas, and religious endowments.
Bahraini political activist Dr. Rashid Al-Rashed has warned about a series of recent government actions, including travel bans to Iran and Iraq, the confiscation of Jaafari religious endowments, the detention of clerics and religious figures, and online campaigns calling for the revocation of citizenship from critics and dissidents.
According to Al-Rashed, the decision to criminalize travel to Iran and Iraq is not merely a security measure but a political step that risks escalating tensions and further alienating a significant segment of Bahraini society. He argued that the policy effectively treats citizens as potential adversaries rather than partners in safeguarding national stability during times of crisis.
The activist criticized what he described as the government's reliance on broader arrests and collective punishment rather than efforts to strengthen national unity. While governments facing crises typically seek to expand public support and social cohesion, he said Bahraini authorities have moved in the opposite direction by intensifying security measures and restrictions.
Al-Rashed also accused the government of using regional tensions as a justification for internal crackdowns, claiming that recent actions are intended to divert attention from controversial foreign policy decisions and Bahrain’s alignment with broader regional military coalitions.
He further argued that periods of conflict should encourage governments to build trust with their populations and create channels for public engagement. Instead, he said, Bahraini authorities have used the current environment to increase pressure on civil society and religious institutions.
Among the measures cited by critics are the arrest of Shiite clerics, restrictions on religious gatherings, the seizure of Jaafari endowments, tighter controls on Shiite mosques, and limits on travel to religious sites in Iran and Iraq. Activists contend that these actions represent political repression rather than preventive security policies.
The reported dissolution of Jaafari endowment institutions, travel restrictions, and arrests of religious and community leaders have been widely condemned by opposition figures, who view them as evidence of an increasingly adversarial approach toward Bahrain’s Shiite population.
Critics further allege that recent policies have contributed to the erosion of civil liberties, including freedom of expression and religious practice. They point to citizenship revocations, restrictions on religious institutions, and the continued imprisonment of clerics and activists as signs of a broader campaign against dissent.
Bahraini authorities have not publicly responded to all of the allegations. However, government officials have previously maintained that security measures are necessary to preserve stability and protect national security amid regional challenges.
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