In April 2025, Bahrain witnessed a sharp and troubling escalation in arbitrary arrests, marking a shift in state repression not seen in years. 22 individuals were detained throughout the month, including several women—a rare and notable development. While five were eventually released, 17 remain in custody. This sudden wave of detentions, coinciding with the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix, appears to be a preemptive effort to silence dissent and prevent public mobilization during a time of heightened international visibility.
The arrests were carried out through a combination of summonses and unannounced raids. Ten individuals were detained following security summonses, while others were taken during raids on their homes, workplaces, or in public spaces. Some were arrested in a courtroom or at the Saudi-Bahraini border. According to reports, these operations were not accompanied by arrest or search warrants, and official motives were not disclosed. Among those arrested was Ahmed Dawood, whose wife, Iman Shaker al-Mahouzi, was also detained and later released under an alternative security measure. Dawood remains in detention, reportedly facing accusations of collaborating with a foreign state.
What distinguishes this latest campaign is not just the number of arrests, but the profile of those targeted. Several were family members, women, or individuals previously pardoned. The pattern suggests a strategy of deterrence—preventive rather than reactive policing. Many of the detainees were reportedly linked to peaceful activism or suspected of intending to organize demonstrations around the time of the Grand Prix. This wave of arrests sends a chilling message: even indirect associations with dissent may be grounds for state retaliation.
The 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix, held on April 13, forms the political backdrop of this repression. For over two decades, Bahrain has used Formula 1 as a platform to project an image of modernity and progress, while masking deepening authoritarian control. As Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) documents, the government has repeatedly cracked down on civil society in the lead-up to the race to suppress any form of protest. In 2014, a formal complaint was even submitted to the UK National Contact Point under the OECD Guidelines, accusing Formula One of contributing to human rights abuses. Despite promises to adopt human rights policies, Formula 1 has taken no meaningful action to date.
This crackdown is consistent with Bahrain’s broader record of repression. According to Amnesty International, authorities continue to arbitrarily detain critics, subject detainees to unfair trials, and use torture and solitary confinement. The European Center for Democracy and Human Rights (ECDHR) has also reported on how restrictive laws are used to dissolve political societies and restrict the work of civil society organizations, often under the guise of national security or administrative control. Human rights defenders like Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja and Abduljalil Al-Singace remain in prison under harsh conditions, with UN experts repeatedly raising concerns over medical neglect and mistreatment.
Minors are not spared either. According to ADHRB, Bahraini authorities routinely violate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Bahrain is a party. Children like Ali Husain Matrook Abdulla have been arrested without warrants, denied access to legal counsel, and coerced into confessions through physical and psychological abuse. These practices violate not only international legal standards but Bahrain’s own obligations under treaties it has ratified.
The April 2025 arrests mark more than just a numerical increase—they reflect a reactivation of aggressive internal control. The Bahraini government has made clear that any expression of dissent, even peaceful or potential, will be met with swift retaliation. As Bahrain continues to present itself as a modern and open society through global sporting events, the international community must not be complicit in legitimizing these abuses. Formula 1 and its stakeholders, in particular, must acknowledge the human cost of silence.
