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Release Them! Bahrain Forum for Human Rights Condemns the Pre-judgment of 15 Citizens and Warns Against Violations of Fair Trial Guarantees The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights (BFHR) has been monitoring the campaign of arbitrary arrests carried out by the security authorities against 13 citizens, including religious scholars, religious chanters, and activists, on the morning of Wednesday, 3 June 2026. BFHR expresses its strong condemnation of the statement issued by Bahrain's Ministry of Interior on 4 June 2026. Only hours after the arbitrary arrest of the 13 citizens, the Ministry rushed to bring pre-prepared accusations against them, as well as two previously detained individuals, alleging links to foreign entities. BFHR further notes that the raids were carried out without the presentation of any judicial warrant or legal justification. The detainees were subsequently taken to undisclosed locations, in a move that constitutes a clear violation of the Criminal Procedure Law and the fundamental legal safeguards intended to protect persons deprived of their liberty. Since the onset of the aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, BFHR has documented more than 480 cases of arbitrary arrest and detention. These have included women and children, as well as Shi'a religious scholars, religious chanters, human rights defenders, social activists, media professionals, and athletes. BFHR has also documented cases of ill-treatment and torture during detention and interrogation, resulting in the death of Sayed Mohammed Al-Mousawi, who died under severe torture while in custody. BFHR rejects the content of the Ministry's statement and highlights a number of legal and human rights concerns that warrant serious attention, including the following: First: The statement contains serious criminal and political allegations expressed in definitive language that implies the charges have already been proven, despite the fact that the case remains—according to the statement itself—at the stage of ongoing legal procedures and investigations. Such practices constitute a clear violation of the presumption of innocence, guaranteed under Article 14(2) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which the Kingdom of Bahrain is a State Party. The Article stipulates that every person accused of a criminal offence shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty before an independent court and through fair procedures." Second: The authorities continue to pursue a policy of public stigmatization and media-driven pre-conviction of detainees by attributing broad criminal accusations, including terrorism-related charges, to them. This appears intended to mislead domestic and international public opinion and to create a distorted perception among activists and human rights defenders regarding the circumstances of those detained. Such practices may discourage advocacy on their behalf, isolate detainees, deprive them of international human rights solidarity, and hinder efforts to bring their cases before international mechanisms and obtain redress. Third: Measures were taken against the detainees without granting them the right to communicate with legal counsel or to exercise their rights to legal representation and defence. Fourth: The statement provides no tangible evidence and instead relies on vague security-related terminology such as "social infiltration" and "planting cells", terminology that may be used to justify restrictions on fundamental freedoms, particularly freedom of opinion and expression and the right to peaceful assembly. Fifth: The statement alleges that the detainees sought to "influence citizens", a broad characterization that may encompass legitimate and lawful activities. The Ministry has failed to provide clear evidence of any criminal conduct, which reflects the continued suppression of civil society activity in Bahrain. In light of the above, BFHR calls for: 1. The immediate and unconditional release of all political detainees. 2. Full compliance with the international treaties ratified by Bahrain, particularly the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, including respect for the principle of the presumption of innocence. 3. The disclosure of all places of detention and the guarantee that detainees are able to communicate with their families, while ensuring that all accused persons enjoy their full rights of defence, including access to legal counsel and case files. 4. Full adherence to due process guarantees and an end to all forms of arbitrary arrest and detention. 5. An end to media smear campaigns and the publication of photographs or personal information of detainees. 6. Independent and transparent investigations into allegations of torture and ill-treatment during detention and interrogation, and accountability for those responsible. 7. An end to policies targeting freedom of religion or belief, freedom of expression, and peaceful civic engagement. 8. The removal of restrictions on access for international organizations and United Nations Special Rapporteurs, enabling them to monitor developments related to this case and ensuring full cooperation with international human rights monitoring mechanisms. 7 June 2026 |