Bahrain has revoked the nationality of 69 people and some of their relatives, accusing them of siding with Iran during the recent Gulf conflict in the kingdom’s first mass citizenship revocation in seven years.
The Bahrain News Agency published the names of those affected, noting that all individuals were of non-Bahraini origin. Authorities acted under Article 10/3 of the Bahraini Nationality Law, which permits revocation of citizenship for actions deemed harmful to the kingdom’s interests or acts of disloyalty.
The Interior Ministry stated that the revocations were carried out in accordance with royal directives from King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. The ministry said the competent authorities were continuing to review who merits Bahraini citizenship going forward.
The charges against those affected included glorifying Iranian military strikes, expressing public sympathy with Tehran, and maintaining contact with foreign entities. The decision also followed the arrest of dozens of people accused of posting content on social media that incited instability and threatened public order during the 39-day conflict.
Rights groups condemned the action sharply. The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) described it as the first such mass revocation since 2019 and said the decisions were imposed without legal safeguards or any right of appeal. Between 2012 and 2019, Bahrain had revoked the citizenship of at least 990 nationals, according to BIRD.
The backdrop to the crackdown is a period of severe regional upheaval. Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Bahrain and other Gulf states after the United States and Israel began military operations against Iran on February 28. Bahrain’s Defence Force said its air defences intercepted 194 Iranian missiles and 523 drones before a ceasefire took effect on April 8. The ceasefire was brokered by Pakistan, though negotiations toward a permanent settlement remain ongoing.
Iran had accused Gulf states, including Bahrain, of allowing the US to conduct strikes from their territory. Iranian attacks reportedly caused significant damage to US military installations in the region, including a Navy base in Bahrain.
The situation within Bahrain carries long-standing social complexity. The country’s Shia majority population has long accused authorities of marginalising them politically and socially, and mass protests against the government erupted during the Arab Spring in 2011.
ABC, Disney and Kimmel’s representatives had not responded to comment requests at the time of reporting. Bahrain’s Global Communication Office also did not respond to requests for comment on the citizenship revocations.
