In recent months, Bahrain has been cracking down on dissent, activists, journalists, and political opposition, primarily targeting members of the Shi’a community and arguing that criticism of the government promotes sectarianism and threatens national unity and security.
Recently, the police re-arrested human rights activist and outspoken government critic Nabeel Rajab on accusations of “spreading false news.” Furthermore, travel bans have been placed on civil society actors and journalists, including reporter Nazeeha Saeed, in addition to activists planning to attend this month’s UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The government also announced that it revoked prominent Shi’a cleric Shekikh Isa Qassim’s citizenship without giving him the opportunity to appeal that revocation in court.
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