For more than a decade, citizenship in Bahrain has no longer been merely a legal bond between the citizens and the state. In several documented cases, it has instead become a tool used by the authorities to punish dissidents, activists, and members of their families. Since 2012, the authorities have resorted to revoking citizenship through[…]
31
Jul
Jul
In late February 2026, the government of Kuwait approved a draft decree amending the country’s nationality law, reinforcing its stated sovereign authority over citizenship matters. In fact, on February 17, the Cabinet – chaired by Prime Minister Ahmed Abdullah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah – approved the amendments and referred them to the Emir for final endorsement. The[…]
22
Apr
Apr
22 April 2019 – On Saturday 20 April, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa AlKhalifa issued an order reinstating the citizenship of 551 individuals previously stripped of their Bahraini citizenship through criminal convictions. Since 2012, the Bahraini government has denationalized 990 people, meaning that the status of 439 persons born with Bahraini citizenship remains unknown. This[…]
18
Apr
Apr
18 April 2019 – The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner (OHCHR) today issued a statement expressing “alarm at the court decision in Bahrain that revoked the nationalities of 138 people after a mass trial” and raising concern that “the court proceedings failed to comply with international fair trial standards.” With this verdict, the[…]
17
Apr
Apr
17 April 2019 – Yesterday, Bahrain’s Fourth High Criminal Court issued the final verdict in the trial of the so-called Bahrain Hezbollah cell. Despite concerns regarding arbitrary detention, torture, and ill-treatment, the court revoked the citizenship of all but one of 139 defendants on terrorism charges in a mass trial involving 169 defendants. This is[…]
