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 Iran.
Al-Mosawi and six of his friends were arbitrarily arrested on March 19 and subjected to enforced disappearance. A week later, Bahraini authorities contacted his family to inform them of his death, requesting them to collect his body from the Bahrain Defence Force Hospital, without providing any clear or credible explanation for the cause and circumstances of his death. His arrest comes as part of a broader campaign to suppress media posts related to the war in Iran, during which more than 200 people have been arrested in Bahrain on charges of publishing content deemed harmful online.
The case is particularly significant given al-Mosawi’s background, as he had previously been released as a political prisoner until 2024, when King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a pardon that included more than 1,500 detainees, including hundreds of political prisoners. However, his re-arrest and subsequent death sparked widespread outrage, with many people taking to the streets in protest against the government and the King.
The protests were further fueled by evidence indicating that he was tortured during his detention. Al-Mosawi showed signs of severe physical injuries, including bruises and deep haematomas on the back, arms, legs, and feet, in addition to multiple wounds on one leg, bleeding injuries to the toes, and severe bruising around the eyes. To date, Bahraini authorities have refused to confirm the use of any violence against him while in custody. It is also concerning that the six friends arrested with him on March 19 have not been released, and their situation remains unknown.
Although al-Mosawi’s death is the first case of death inside prisons since the beginning of the war, it is not an isolated incident. Rather, it reflects a broader and entrenched pattern of repression in Bahrain, where dissent is systematically silenced through arbitrary arrest, enforced disappearance, and the alleged use of torture against anyone who expresses their opinion.
With the continued repercussions of the war on Iran in the Gulf region, Bahrain’s response raises urgent questions about the human cost of censorship and the impunity that the authorities appear to enjoy. The death of al-Mosawi, the disappearance of his six friends, and the arrest of more than 200 people are all indications that the war has become, for Bahrain, an opportunity to suppress internal opposition as much as it is a security issue.
