Bahrain's Problem Areas: Understanding The Kingdom's Challenges

Bahrain is a small island country in West Asia, situated on the Persian Gulf. It is a constitutional monarchy, with a bicameral National Assembly consisting of the Shura Council and the Council of Representatives. The country has a complex history, having been ruled by the Portuguese Empire in the 16th century, and later by the Safavid Iran. In 1783, the Bani Utbah and allied tribes captured Bahrain from Nasr Al-Madhkur and it has since been ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family.

Bahrain has a population of 1,501,635 as of May 14, 2023, with 712,362 being Bahraini nationals. The country is divided into four governorates: the Capital Governorate, Muharraq Governorate, Northern Governorate, and Southern Governorate.

Bahrain's economy is heavily reliant on oil and gas, with oil revenues making up 70% to 80% of the state's income. The country has a well-developed road network, with bridges connecting all areas in Bahrain. The country also has a well-established telecommunications system, with more than 961,000 internet users as of June 2012.

Bahrain's population is predominantly Muslim, with the majority being Shia Muslims. The country has a rich cultural heritage, with many historical sites, including the ancient Dilmun civilization.

Human rights violations

Bahrain's human rights record has been described as "dismal" by Human Rights Watch, with the situation in the country failing to improve since 2010. The country has been accused of silencing, exiling, or imprisoning critics of the government, and of failing to hold officials accountable for torture and ill-treatment.

Freedom of expression and association

Bahrain has banned all independent media from operating in the country and dissolved all opposition groups. The government has widened its suppression of online and social media activity, prosecuting people who follow or share posts on Twitter that are deemed "inciting". No independent media operate in Bahrain, and foreign journalists and human rights groups are routinely denied access to the country.

Freedom of assembly

The government has cracked down on critics of the government, including prominent human rights defenders, journalists, and opposition leaders. The Court of Cassation upheld the life sentence against Shaikh Ali Salman, leader of Al-Wifaq, Bahrain’s largest but now-dissolved opposition political society, on "espionage" charges.

Arbitrary detention and torture

The government has failed to credibly investigate and prosecute officials and police officers who allegedly committed violations, including torture. Oversight bodies set up to investigate prison abuse have not been independent of the government.

Discrimination and statelessness

The government has revoked the citizenship of hundreds of people for alleged offenses, including "terrorism", "national security", and "offending the country". While the king has reinstated the citizenship of some of these individuals, almost 300 people remain without Bahraini nationality and are often stateless.

Political prisoners

The government has imprisoned critics of the government, including human rights defenders, journalists, and opposition leaders. In 2011, the government cracked down on protesters during the Arab Spring, resulting in further human rights complaints, including the destruction of dozens of long-standing Shia mosques.

Other issues

Other human rights issues in Bahrain include:

• Restrictions on freedom of movement, residence, and the right to leave the country
• Inability of citizens to change their government peacefully through free and fair elections
• Restrictions on workers' freedom of association
• Discrimination against Shia Muslims, who face systemic discrimination in many areas and do not have equality before the law
• Discrimination against women, who face restrictions on their right to divorce, inherit, and transmit Bahraini nationality to their children on an equal basis to men
• Discrimination against persons with disabilities, who lack access to education, health services, public buildings, and transportation on an equal basis with others

Discrimination against Shia Muslims

Shia Muslims in Bahrain have faced human rights abuses, including torture, arbitrary detention, and forced disappearances. There are also reports of Shia mosques being destroyed by the government.

The Bahraini government has been criticized by human rights organizations and international bodies for its treatment of Shia Muslims. The government has been accused of practicing apartheid and sectarian apartheid against the Shia community.

The Bahraini government has taken some steps to improve the situation, such as establishing a national human rights institution and implementing economic and social reforms. However, human rights organizations have questioned the independence and effectiveness of these measures.

Political prisoners

Bahrain has been criticised for its treatment of political prisoners, with human rights groups claiming that the country has the highest number of political prisoners among Arab states. According to a 2022 report by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), there are an estimated 4,500 political activists currently imprisoned in the country. Since the pro-democracy protests in 2011, human rights organisations have continued to highlight the issue of prisoners in Bahrain.

Bahrain's handling of political prisoners has been criticised by international organisations, including Human Rights Watch, which has described the country's human rights record as "dismal". The US State Department's 2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices also noted credible reports of political prisoners in Bahrain, as well as arbitrary or unlawful interference with privacy, restrictions on freedom of expression and media, and interference with the freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of association.

In recent years, there have been some efforts to improve prison conditions and reduce the number of individuals in custody. For example, in 2021, the Ministry of Interior expanded its alternative sentencing programme, which allows certain individuals to receive non-custodial sentences. However, human rights groups continue to call for the release of political prisoners and for investigations into allegations of torture and other human rights abuses.

Freedom of expression

The Bahraini government has been accused of targeting activists, restricting freedom of expression, and discriminating against women. The government has also been criticised for its treatment of Shia Muslims, who make up the majority of the country's population.

The constitution of Bahrain provides for freedom of speech, but only "provided that the fundamental beliefs of Islamic doctrine are not infringed, the unity of the people is not prejudiced, and discord and sectarianism are not aroused". This restriction does not extend to social media.

The government has been known to censor media reports on matters deemed sensitive, including those related to religious sects, national security, criticism of the ruling family or the judiciary, and the Saudi royal family. The government also blocks access to some websites and online content, and there are reports that it monitors private online communications without appropriate legal authority.

In 2018, the United Nations human rights experts called on Bahrain to end the repression of activists and restrictions on freedom of expression and women's rights.

Freedom of assembly

The government has also been accused of targeting the family members of prominent Bahraini activists. In 2017, the family of Sayed al-Wadaei, a human rights activist, were detained and tortured in retaliation for his human rights work.

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