Introduction Since May 2026, Bahrain has been waging an unprecedented crackdown on its Shia citizens, manifested through a wave of raids, citizenship revocations, and mass arrests targeting dozens of preachers, religious reciters (rawadid), activists, and clerics. The number of detained clerics has reached 53. This is unfolding against a backdrop of acute regional tensions linked[…]
27
Apr
Apr
According to the International Labour Organization there are 24 million migrant workers residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council states. The Gulf region is the world’s hub for overseas workers. Migrant workers make up a significant percentage of the total 62 million people living in GCC countries, yet they suffer systemic discrimination. Migrant workers in the[…]
24
Apr
Apr
As the world’s attention remains fixed on the latest developments in the war in Iran, Saudi Arabia has quietly proceeded with the execution of a prominent businessman, Saud al-Faraj, for his involvement in the 2011 anti-government demonstrations in Qatif, where protesters had called for greater democracy and reform. Al-Faraj was arrested in 2019 following a[…]
22
Apr
Apr
The war in the Middle East carries a tragedy represented in the censorship imposed by Gulf states to protect themselves from unwanted media coverage. Bahrain has become the latest country under scrutiny, following the death of Bahraini citizen Mohamed al-Mosawi and documented evidence of his torture during his detention in connection with the war on[…]
15
Apr
Apr
For decades, Gulf governments have promoted the narrative that their states are islands of stability in an otherwise turbulent region. Through economic diversification and careful geopolitical balancing, countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain have positioned themselves as pragmatic actors committed to stability and economic prosperity. Amid the current[…]
