Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR)
This report is based on:
- BCHR’s direct monitoring and documentation
- Testimonies from victims, families, and lawyers
- Court documents, official statements, and credible media sources
- BCHR publications and urgent appeals issued during 2025
Given the hostile environment for civil society, BCHR conducts its work through secure channels and trusted networks.
In 2025, Bahrain continues to experience a deep and prolonged human rights crisis, marked by widespread repression, entrenched impunity, and the near-total closure of civic space. Despite years of international scrutiny, recommendations from UN mechanisms, and sustained advocacy by civil society, the Bahraini authorities have failed to implement meaningful reforms.
Instead, repression has intensified and diversified — targeting activists, political opponents, human rights defenders, children, and even those at risk of execution. This expanded update consolidates BCHR’s documentation throughout 2025, highlighting arrests, continued detention of prisoners of conscience, the use of the death penalty, and BCHR’s ongoing international engagement despite severe difficulties.
- Arbitrary Arrests and Criminalization of Dissent
Arbitrary arrests remain a central pillar of Bahrain’s repression strategy. Throughout 2025, BCHR has documented ongoing arrests linked to:
- Peaceful expression of opinion
- Social media posts and online activity
- Participation in peaceful protests or gatherings
- Alleged political or religious expression
Security forces continue to conduct arrests without warrants, summon individuals for prolonged interrogations, and detain them under vague and overly broad legal provisions. Detainees frequently report denial of legal safeguards, including lack of access to lawyers during interrogation and coercive questioning practices.
These arrests reinforce a climate of fear and serve as a warning to society that dissent — even peaceful — will be punished.
Wave of Arrests and Suppression of Peaceful Protests in Bahrain (January–June 2025) – BCHR
- Political Prisoners and the Case of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja
Political imprisonment remains one of the most enduring symbols of Bahrain’s human rights crisis. Among those held is Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, a founding member of BCHR and one of the most respected human rights defenders in the region.
Detained since 2011 for his peaceful activism, Al-Khawaja has endured:
- Arbitrary detention following an unfair trial
- Torture and ill-treatment
- Prolonged denial of adequate medical care
- Repeated reprisals for continuing to assert his rights
CAT Concluding Observations on Bahrain & Human Rights Implications – BCHR
Central 2025 Recommendation
BCHR repeats, as a core recommendation for 2025:
The immediate and unconditional release of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, along with all prisoners of conscience detained solely for exercising their fundamental human rights.
His continued detention exemplifies Bahrain’s refusal to address past abuses or comply with international human rights standards.
Abdulhadi Al‑Khawaja: The Mandela of Bahrain and the Voice of a Silenced Nation – BCHR
- Continued Arrest and Targeting of Children
One of the most alarming trends documented in 2025 is the persistent targeting of children by Bahraini authorities.
BCHR has recorded cases involving:
- Arbitrary arrest of minors during security operations
- Interrogation of children without adequate legal representation
- Detention in conditions that violate child protection standards
- Psychological intimidation and collective punishment of families
Rather than prioritizing rehabilitation and protection, the authorities continue to treat children as security threats, violating Bahrain’s obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child.
This pattern not only inflicts long-term trauma on children but also undermines social cohesion and future prospects for reconciliation.
A Report on the Arrest Targeting and Discrimination Against Children in Bahrain – BCHR
Wave of Arrests and Suppression of Peaceful Protests in Bahrain (January–June 2025) – BCHR
Arrest of Ebrahim Sharif
The arrest of Ebrahim Sharif in 2025 represents a dangerous escalation in the targeting of moderate and reform-oriented voices in Bahrain.
Sharif, a long-standing political figure known for advocating peaceful reform, dialogue, and national reconciliation, was arrested for exercising his right to freedom of expression. His detention underscores the authorities’ unwillingness to tolerate even non-violent, institutional criticism or calls for reform.
BCHR considers the arrest of Ebrahim Sharif to be:
- A clear violation of the right to freedom of expression
- An act of intimidation aimed at silencing political discourse
- A signal that no public figure — regardless of their commitment to peaceful engagement — is protected from repression
This arrest has had a chilling effect on public debate, reinforcing widespread self-censorship and fear among activists, academics, and political actors.
- Death Penalty: Ongoing Risk and Grave Concerns
The continued use of the death penalty remains one of the most serious human rights violations in Bahrain.
In 2025, BCHR raised renewed alarm over:
- Individuals facing execution following unfair trials
- Confessions extracted under torture
- Lack of effective judicial oversight and independent investigations
- Failure to ensure transparency in capital cases
Despite international calls for a moratorium, Bahraini courts continue to uphold death sentences, often relying on evidence obtained through coercion. These practices violate the right to life and contravene Bahrain’s obligations under international law.
Statement on the Death Penalty in Bahrain – BCHR
BCHR stresses that the death penalty in Bahrain is not an isolated judicial measure but part of a broader system that denies due process and shields perpetrators of torture from accountability.
- Institutionalized Impunity and Lack of Accountability
Across arrests, detention practices, child targeting, and death penalty cases, impunity remains entrenched.
Oversight bodies continue to:
- Dismiss or delay complaints of torture
- Fail to conduct independent and transparent investigations
- Protect security officials from prosecution
Victims are left without effective remedies, while perpetrators remain unaccountable. This failure reinforces cycles of abuse and sends a clear message that violations will go unpunished.
Bahrain: Systematic Repression and the Erosion of Fundamental Freedoms – BCHR
- BCHR’s International Advocacy Despite Severe Constraints
Despite immense challenges — including funding shortages, digital surveillance, travel restrictions, and operational pressures — BCHR has remained actively engaged in international advocacy throughout 2025.
This includes:
- Participation in UN Human Rights Council side events
- Direct engagement with diplomatic missions and UN officials
- Continued publication of detailed documentation and urgent appeals
BCHR’s sustained presence at international forums demonstrates its determination to ensure that Bahrain’s human rights crisis remains visible and that victims’ voices are not silenced.
Human Rights Council Side Event Highlights Bahrain’s Ongoing Human Rights Crisis – BCHR
BCHR Statement on Bahrain Side Event at the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council – BCHR
Opening of the 59th Session of the UN Human Rights Council – BCHR
Conclusion: 2025 Assessment and Core Demands
BCHR concludes that Bahrain’s human rights situation in 2025 is characterized by continuity of repression rather than reform. Arrests, political imprisonment, child targeting, and death penalty cases persist, while accountability remains absent.
BCHR’s Recommendation 2025
- Immediate and unconditional release of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and all prisoners of conscience
- An end to arbitrary arrests and criminalization of peaceful dissent
- Immediate halt to the arrest and mistreatment of children
- A moratorium on executions and abolition of the death penalty
- Independent investigations into torture and serious human rights violations
- Protection of human rights defenders from reprisals
Despite shrinking civic space and escalating risks, BCHR remains steadfast in its mission to document abuses, support victims, and advocate for justice, accountability, and human dignity in Bahrain.
To the International Community
- Raise the cases of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and Ebrahim Sharif in bilateral and multilateral forums
- Increase pressure on Bahrain to comply with its international human rights obligations
- Support independent civil society organizations