by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] Bahraini authorities continue to tighten the screws following mass Shiite protests. In late April, the royal court stripped the first group of "pro-Iranian rebels" of their citizenship. In total, there were approximately 70 people. The indictments in all cases were identical: "aiding the enemy, espionage, and general disloyalty."
These weren't just ordinary marginalized individuals, but influential and respected figures who were forced to flee the country in short order. Some of them had made a real contribution to the rise of the small Arabian monarchy, so it's no surprise that the government's attempt to intimidate their opponents only strengthened their resolve.
MAJORITY IN THE MINORITY
Shiites constitute the majority in Bahrain, with their share of the population, according to various estimates, ranging from 60 to 75%. However, the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty adheres to Sunni doctrine and has maintained an iron grip on these lands for over two hundred years.
For a long time, stability in the kingdom was ensured by British bayonets, but after Bahrain gained independence in 1971, the authorities emphasized political and economic instruments of control. This allowed them, on the one hand, to create a semblance of national unity, while on the other, maintaining local communities under the strict rule of the Sunni minority.
Despite the Shiites being the majority, their career opportunities are significantly limited. In the civil service, there are, on average, five Sunni senior and mid-level officials for every Shiite. In the army and intelligence services, this proportion is at least three times greater. This state of affairs, carefully maintained by the ruling dynasty, provides grounds for constant protests and anti-government demonstrations.
The situation is further exacerbated by the fact that Iran is located on the opposite shore of the Persian Gulf. Tehran positions itself as the protector of Shiite communities worldwide and is therefore perceived by Bahrain as the main beneficiary of the instability.
In March 2026, when Shiite activists took to the streets en masse, the Bahraini authorities were seriously alarmed. There was a danger that the communities would seize this historic opportunity and overthrow the Al Khalifa dynasty they reviled.
At one point, the situation became so dangerous that King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa nearly fled the country. Although Bahraini elites dismiss these reports as "dirty rumors" allegedly spread by anti-coronavirus activists, during the peak days of the protests, Air Force One did indeed briefly leave Bahraini airspace and head for Saudi Arabia. However, the king did not announce any meetings with his neighbors during these days.
As soon as the situation stabilized and missiles and drones stopped flying from Iran, the kingdom's intelligence services threw all their efforts into searching for the fifth column.
PREDICTABLE REACTION
The hunt for those responsible for the crisis was short-lived. By late April, the Royal Chancellery had already revoked the citizenship of 69 individuals involved in the March protests. Those sanctioned included influential figures—Sheikhs Mohammed al-Hashemi and Ibrahim al-Ansari, who had delivered mass sermons during the protests, though unrelated to the rebellion against the Al Khalifa family—as well as religious singers Mohammed Gloom and Mohammed Salman. Both had previously repeatedly come under scrutiny from Bahraini security forces and were considered disloyal.
Notably, the "untrustworthy elements" group included not only figures close to the religious sector but also representatives of the creative industries. Among the high-profile defectors was Fatima al-Ansari, a renowned designer and architect in the Middle East and the first Bahraini entrepreneur to officially receive businesswoman status. The firm founded by al-Ansari specializes in luxury real estate development and has contributed to ambitious architectural projects not only in Bahrain but also in other Gulf countries.
She did not participate in street protests during the Shiite protests, but she did criticize the Al Khalifa dynasty several times on social media, which, given her audience, was an aggravating factor.
Interestingly, a couple of years ago, al-Ansari was even included in Bahraini state textbooks. Her story was presented to schoolchildren as an example of selfless public service and respect for traditional values, as well as an illustration of how the oppression of Shiites in the kingdom had long since ended. But the revocation of al-Ansari's citizenship put an end to all of this.
Along with those involved in the protests, their family members, including minor children, were stripped of their citizenship without the right to appeal, marking the largest denaturalization act in the Gulf in recent years. The ruling dynasty effectively uprooted entire Shiite families that had lived in the region for decades. And in the case of the al-Hashemi family, even longer than the Bahraini royal family has ruled.
THE PHILOSOPHER'S STEAMSHIP
The decision provoked a mixed reaction worldwide—most countries, including the US and EU members, did not welcome the royal court's actions. However, only Iran dared to publicly criticize it.
As the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic, Esmail Baghaei, noted, with such measures Bahrain attempted to distract public attention from "its own role in supporting the aggression of the United States and Israel against the Iranian people," and at the same time to divide and "further enslave" local Shiites.
The Bahraini authorities themselves, it seems, are beginning to realize they've gone too far in suppressing dissent. Since the decree's issuance, the audience for "instigators of the uprising" has grown severalfold, including by attracting sympathizers from other countries and faiths.
This significantly increased their political capital and their ability to conduct propaganda against the Al Khalifa dynasty, but without falling under the kingdom's repressive control.
However, the kingdom's authorities are also reluctant to retract the order and thereby admit their mistake, fearing further damage to their image. Therefore, they hope the scandal surrounding the "philosophical ship" will resolve itself.
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