Amid loss of contact with more than 40 religious scholars following their detention, BFHR warns against the danger of using security discourse to justify sectarian targeting

The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights (BFHR) condemns the false and fabricated political accusations recently issued by the Bahraini Ministry of Interior against a number of leading religious scholars in Bahrain. These scholars are engaged in religious preaching, guidance, and counseling activities rather than political work. As it has done repeatedly, the authorities accused them of links to the “Iranian Revolutionary Guard.” On this basis, 44 Shia religious scholars were arbitrarily detained in violation of the Code of Criminal Procedure and international law because of their religious and sectarian affiliation. It is believed that this escalation came in the context of the U.S.-Israeli war against the Islamic Republic of Iran and its direct repercussions on Bahrain, particularly given the government’s role in the war and the presence of U.S. military bases on Bahraini territory.

BFHR noted that those detained include senior Hawza instructors, Friday and congregational prayer leaders, teachers and directors of religious seminaries, Hussaini pulpit speakers, and members of the Islamic Scholars Council, the highest religious authority for the Shia community in Bahrain.

BFHR stresses the seriousness of these condemnations being issued by the government rather than through judicial rulings based on fair legal proceedings. It considers that issuing such accusations before the conclusion of any transparent investigations or trials reflects a deliberate intention to impose severe legal penalties on citizens who do not politically align with the government, without proving the accusations through fair and independent legal mechanisms. This reflects a clear political and sectarian use of security rhetoric.

The official statements included definitive labels against the detainees such as “terrorist organization,” “terror financing,” “espionage,” and “direct communication with the Revolutionary Guard,” despite the fact that the case — according to the same statements — remains in the stages of “investigation,” “evidence gathering,” and “completion of legal procedures.” This constitutes a deliberate violation of the integrity of investigative procedures and the neutrality of justice. It also represents a serious breach of the principle of presumption of innocence guaranteed under Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 20(c) of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain. Both provisions affirm the right of every accused person to be presumed innocent until proven guilty through a final judicial ruling issued following a trial that guarantees all standards of justice and independence.

BFHR further emphasizes that the use of vague and legally undefined expressions such as “sympathy,” “promoting loyalty abroad,” and “influencing the national will,” among others, constitutes political, ideological, or religious characterizations that do not in themselves amount to criminal acts unless accompanied by clear evidence of direct incitement to violence or actual participation in criminal acts under the law. Moreover, the descriptions contained in the Ministry of Interior statements were accompanied by inflammatory media campaigns, commentary, and analyses. These included the display of confiscated items, images, religious materials, social institutions, and Shia religious figures in a manner suggesting a collective link between sectarian affiliation and security suspicion. This threatens social cohesion and promotes discriminatory and sectarian discourse that contradicts the principles of equality and non-discrimination established under international standards and Bahraini law, including Articles 18, 22, and 23 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

BFHR also records the absence of any clear information regarding the detainees’ basic legal guarantees, including:

• Allowing them access to lawyers and communication with their families, in violation of Article 20(e) of the Bahraini Constitution.
• Presenting them before independent judicial authorities within a reasonable legal period, in violation of Article 19(b) of the Constitution.
• Disclosing the places and conditions of detention, in violation of Article 19(c) of the Constitution.
• Ensuring protection from enforced disappearance, ill-treatment, or torture, in violation of Articles 19(d) and 20(d) of the Constitution.
• Ensuring the provision of necessary healthcare, particularly for detainees suffering from chronic or critical illnesses, in violation of Article 5(c) of the Constitution.

The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights warns against the danger of using security rhetoric to justify sectarian targeting and the political isolation of an entire national component based on sectarian affiliation. Linking Shia religious authorities, Shia religious discourse, preaching activities, rituals, and social and religious institutions to concepts such as terrorism and extremism represents a dangerous trend toward criminalizing thought, belief, and religious affiliation. This contradicts the freedoms of religion, belief, and expression guaranteed under international human rights instruments, while also threatening civil peace and deepening sectarian discrimination.

Accordingly, BFHR calls for:

• Releasing all detained Shia religious scholars immediately and unconditionally.
• Respecting the principle of presumption of innocence and the guarantees of a fair trial.
• Ending inflammatory and indiscriminate media discourse.
• Refraining from using religious symbols, rituals, and institutions in security and media campaigns.
• Ensuring legal transparency and enabling independent human rights organizations to monitor the case.
• Protecting freedom of religion and belief, freedom of expression, and civic engagement from indiscriminate security approaches.
• Opening independent investigations into allegations of torture, ill-treatment, or enforced disappearance.

Bahrain Forum for Human Rights
13 May 2026