AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The escalating wave of suppression and restrictions by the Al Khalifa regime in Bahrain, which has been pursued under the slogan of protecting the law and establishing security since the beginning of the war by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, appears less like a security measure and more like a vindictive campaign against a segment of Bahraini citizens under the pretext of solidarity with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to a report by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, this trend has taken on new dimensions during the Ashura season. Daily clashes are reported between the people of Bahrain and the security forces of the Al Khalifa regime, following the forces' attempts to prevent the holding of Ashura ceremonies. A matter which Ibrahim al-Aradi, head of the political bureau of the "February 14 Coalition," does not consider separate from the campaign to silence voices that began about four months ago.
Ban on Travel to Iran and Iraq; New Restriction for Pilgrims
As part of this same campaign, the Interior Ministry of the Al Khalifa regime announced in early June that travel by Bahraini citizens to Iraq and Iran has been prohibited. A decision that includes pilgrims intending to visit religious sites in those two countries.
The Interior Ministry of the Al Khalifa regime justified this decision by citing regional security developments. However, the measure raised questions, particularly given that no such restriction has been imposed on travel to the occupied territories, for example.
In this regard, Ibrahim al-Aradi describes this measure by the Interior Ministry of the Al Khalifa regime as a dangerous and unprecedented escalation. He states that the number of Bahrainis who travel annually to Iraq and Iran for pilgrimage to religious sites is between 60,000 and 90,000, and these individuals are subject to the travel ban, while other countries have been exempted from such restrictions despite the region's turbulent conditions. According to him, this decision is calculated and carries political messages not only domestically but also against Iraq and Iran.
Ashura; A New Arena of Restrictions
Al-Aradi believes that Bahrain is moving toward the most dangerous stage in the history of the conflict between the ruling family and the people.
In an interview with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, he states that in recent months, violations of Bahraini citizens' rights have increased unprecedentedly, including the arrest of religious eulogists and scholars, preventing people from holding mourning processions, and other measures. He also speaks of an organized process to impoverish an entire sect and drive it toward only one option: emigration from the country.
Alongside the travel ban decision, Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Interior Minister of the Al Khalifa regime, in his annual meeting with the heads of Bahrain's Husayniyyahs before the start of the Ashura ceremonies, announced a ban on what he called "assemblies of the Supreme Leader" and warned Bahraini citizens not to follow Iran's model, support it, or adopt a stance in its favor.
Bahrain's Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, in response to these decisions, described them as a dangerous and alarming precedent and warned that the Al Khalifa regime has succumbed to a hateful and uncontrolled sectarian abandonment of the Shiite presence in Bahrain.
Increase in Arrests; Concerns over Citizenship Revocation and Deportation
In this same context, al-Aradi warns of the adoption of harsher measures against Bahraini citizens, such as revoking citizenship and deporting them.
He says: Since February 28 of this year, more than 500 men and women have been arrested in Bahrain, and this number is likely to increase. According to him, every household in Bahrain now feels at risk and fears the abduction of its children, their arrest, and their being sent to prison on fabricated and sectarian charges.
Arrest of Clerics on Charges of Ties with Iran
Among the recent detainees are 51 Bahraini clerics whose cases have been documented by the Bahrain Prisoners Affairs Commission. This body has announced that these individuals were transferred to the "Al-Hawd Al-Jaff" prison on June 8 after one month of detention in investigation centers.
The Interior Ministry of the Al Khalifa regime has accused these individuals of having ties with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, spying for it, or following the doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih. The Commission has emphasized that these individuals' cases fall within the context of the systematic targeting of religious freedoms and freedom of expression.
The Bahrain Prisoners Affairs Commission also reported the arrest of two Bahraini clerics in the UAE, stating that this action indicates the expansion of cross-border security coordination to suppress and pursue Bahraini Shiite scholars due to the regional crisis that has also spread to the Gulf countries.
Criticism by Activists of the Government's Security Approach
A Bahraini activist who wished to remain anonymous told the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar: "What is happening against the detainees – especially with the issuance of life sentences for female detainees for expressing opposition to the attack on Iran – is cause for concern." He believes that the Al Khalifa regime does not act according to the law, but rather based on sectarian and political considerations that directly influence the type of rulings and measures taken.
The activist added that the current situation raises serious concerns about the fate of current detainees in Bahrain, especially clerics, because there is a possibility of fabricating charges or security files to justify targeting them and silencing their voices. In his view, these measures serve the path of normalizing relations with the Zionist regime, which the people of Bahrain reject.
Closure of Shiite Cultural and Religious Institutions
The violations have not been limited to individuals but have also encompassed Bahrain's institutions and societies.
In mid-May of this year, the Al Khalifa regime's authorities dissolved the "Islamic Awareness Society" of Bahrain – one of the most important cultural and social institutions, founded in 1972 by a group of prominent Bahraini religious scholars, including Ayatollah Isa Qasim. Ayatollah Isa Qasim had previously had his Bahraini citizenship revoked by the Al Khalifa regime and was exiled from Bahrain.
This decision was taken while the society had distanced itself from partisan and political activity, and its activities were confined to social, cultural, and religious spheres. Bahraini opposition sources viewed this measure as a continuation of restriction policies and believe that the Al Khalifa regime is pursuing a project that entrenches sectarian division under nationalist pretexts.
Amnesty International Report on the Wave of Arrests
Amnesty International, in a report on recent waves of suppression in the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, has documented more than a thousand arrests during the war against Iran. These arrests were made for publishing content and digital material related to the war against Iran. The organization has described these measures as part of a broader policy to restrict the flow of information and impose severe control over the digital space.
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