Bahrain orders citizenship review as Iran war-linked crackdown escalates: What to know
The move comes as Bahrain steps up arrests and tightens security measures amid the war, with authorities targeting alleged Iran-linked dissenters and considering additional citizenship revocations.
Bahrain's decision to review the citizenship status of those accused of undermining national security signals a deepening crackdown on dissent and alleged Iranian influence, with another round of citizenship revocations likely.
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa ordered on Sunday the “immediate initiation of legal measures” against those deemed to have “betrayed the nation or undermined its security and stability,” while calling for a review of cases regarding entitlement to Bahraini citizenship, according to the official Bahrain News Agency.
Why it matters: Bahrain has intensified its crackdown on dissent during the war, following displays of sympathy toward Iran, including demonstrations in support of slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. More than 200 people have been arrested since the conflict began, most of them Shiite, on charges including treason and espionage, Agence France-Presse reported last month.
The US-Israeli-Iran war is a sensitive issue in Bahrain, where there is a degree of support for the Islamic Republic in the Shiite-majority community. The Bahraini royal family is Sunni, and the Shiite population has complained of marginalization and persecution for years.
