Introduction
Bahrain continues to impose and execute the death penalty under conditions that gravely undermine due process, contravene the prohibition of torture, and violate fundamental human rights. The Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) reiterates that the right to life is absolute and non-derogable; once a death sentence is carried out, the harm is irreversible.
Despite Bahrain’s international commitments under the Convention against Torture (CAT) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), numerous reports confirm that death sentences in Bahrain are often based on confessions extracted under torture, obtained in secret detention, and upheld by courts that fail to meet basic standards of fairness and transparency.
BCHR calls for the immediate suspension of all executions, the commutation of death sentences, and the abolition of the death penalty as a step toward justice and reconciliation in Bahrain.
Historical Context and Escalation After 2011
Prior to 2011, the use of capital punishment in Bahrain was relatively limited and rarely implemented. However, following the 2011 pro-democracy protests and the ensuing government crackdown, the number of death sentences surged dramatically.
BCHR’s documentation shows that death sentences increased more than sixfold in the decade after 2011. This rise coincides with broader patterns of repression, including the criminalization of dissent, unfair mass trials, and the use of “terrorism” charges to silence critics and protesters.
Executions in Bahrain resumed in January 2017, after a seven-year de facto moratorium, when Abbas Al-Samea, Sami Mushaima, and Ali Al-Singace were executed following trials marred by allegations of torture. These executions marked the beginning of a renewed and alarming trend that continues today.
Torture, Forced Confessions, and Unfair Trials
Torture remains a central component of Bahrain’s death penalty cases. Defendants are often subjected to physical and psychological abuse to extract coerced confessions, which are then used as the sole or primary evidence at trial.
- Mohammed Ramadan and Husain Moosa were arrested in 2014 in relation to a bombing incident. Both reported severe torture, including beatings and electric shocks, during interrogation. Their coerced confessions were later retracted, yet both remain on death row.
- Ali Al-Arab and Ahmed Al-Malali were arrested in February 2017 and allegedly tortured in Jaw Prison. Al-Arab had his toenails pulled out, was beaten with wires, and forced to sign confessions he could not read. Despite these allegations, both men were executed on 27 July 2019, sparking international outrage.
- Ahmad Al-Mullali and Ali Al-Arab were denied access to lawyers, and their trials fell far below fair trial standards recognized under international law.
In all these cases, courts systematically ignored defendants’ claims of torture, and the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) failed to conduct impartial inquiries. This institutional failure erodes trust in the judiciary and reinforces a culture of impunity.
Violation of Fundamental Legal Guarantees
Bahrain’s criminal justice system systematically denies defendants their basic legal rights:
- No access to legal counsel during early interrogation stages, where torture most frequently occurs.
- Secret detention and incommunicado confinement preventing family contact.
- Failure to exclude coerced confessions, in violation of Article 15 of CAT.
- Executions without timely family notification—in several cases, relatives were informed only after executions had already been carried out.
The mechanisms designed to provide accountability—such as the SIU, Ombudsman, and National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR)—are not independent. Their findings rarely lead to prosecutions, and they are frequently used to deflect international scrutiny rather than deliver justice.
Discriminatory and Political Use of the Death Penalty
The death penalty in Bahrain is applied in a discriminatory and politically motivated manner. Many of those sentenced belong to the Shia majority population, particularly individuals associated with political opposition groups or protest movements. Charges often include vague accusations of terrorism, espionage, or membership in outlawed organizations—labels that serve to criminalize dissent rather than address genuine criminal acts.
BCHR and partner organizations estimate that at least 26 individuals remain on death row, the majority facing imminent risk of execution. A substantial portion of these cases involve political prisoners or protesters tried under the 2017 Counter-Terrorism Law, which allows civilians to be prosecuted in military courts—a direct violation of Bahrain’s international obligations.
Legal and Human Rights Framework
Bahrain’s continued use of the death penalty contradicts its commitments under international law:
- Convention Against Torture (CAT): Article 2 prohibits torture under any circumstance, and Article 15 explicitly prohibits the use of evidence obtained through torture.
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR): Articles 6 and 14 guarantee the right to life and fair trial. The imposition of death sentences after unfair proceedings constitutes arbitrary deprivation of life.
- UN Safeguards Guaranteeing Protection of the Rights of Those Facing the Death Penalty (1984) stipulate that capital punishment may be imposed only when guilt is proven beyond reasonable doubt and after fair proceedings—standards systematically violated in Bahrain.
Globally, the trend is toward abolition. More than two-thirds of countries have abolished or ceased implementing the death penalty. Bahrain’s continuation of executions, especially after allegations of torture, places it among a shrinking minority of states defying global human rights norms.
Recent and Notable Cases
- Ali Al-Arab and Ahmed Al-Malali: Executed in 2019 despite international pleas for clemency and clear evidence of torture.
- Mohammed Ramadan and Husain Moosa: Still on death row, their cases have been raised repeatedly by the United Nations and human rights organizations as emblematic of Bahrain’s flawed judicial system.
- Abbas Al-Samea, Sami Mushaima, and Ali Al-Singace: Executed in 2017; all alleged severe torture, including electric shocks and sexual assault, to obtain confessions.
These cases reflect a pattern: the Bahraini authorities’ use of the death penalty as an instrument of fear and control, targeting those who dare to express dissent or criticize state policies.
Recommendations
BCHR calls on the Government of Bahrain to:
- Immediately establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty and commute all existing sentences.
- Ensure compliance with CAT Article 15 by declaring inadmissible any confession obtained under torture or coercion.
- Guarantee fair trial rights, including prompt access to lawyers, full disclosure of evidence, and the right to appeal.
- Investigate all torture allegations independently, including in the cases of Al-Arab, Al-Malali, Ramadan, Moosa, Al-Alawi, and others.
- Hold perpetrators accountable, including senior officials responsible for ordering or tolerating torture.
- Ensure transparency: provide families and legal representatives with timely notice of executions and access to visitation rights.
- Reform the judiciary to ensure independence and impartiality in all criminal proceedings.
- Abolish the use of military courts to try civilians, in accordance with international human rights standards.
- Engage constructively with UN mechanisms, including by allowing visits by the Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Special Procedures.
- Ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, committing Bahrain to the abolition of the death penalty.
The death penalty in Bahrain has become a symbol of repression rather than justice. Executions carried out after unfair trials, based on torture-tainted confessions, are arbitrary killings under international law. Torture and executions of Ali Al-Arab, Ahmed Al-Malali, and others—represents a grave miscarriage of justice that can never be undone.
BCHR urges the Government of Bahrain to align its legal and judicial systems with its international obligations, end the use of torture, and move decisively toward abolition of the death penalty. The sanctity of life, justice, and dignity demands nothing less.
“The death penalty in Bahrain is not about justice—it is about silencing dissent. Executing individuals after confessions extracted under torture is an act of cruelty that cannot be justified under any law or religion. BCHR stands with the victims’ families and renews its call for an immediate moratorium, accountability for torture, and a path toward total abolition.”
— Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)