Rights groups condemn Bahrain's largest mass trial of Shia clerics in history

Sixty clerics face prison after interrogations that campaigners say involved torture and forced confessions Visitors take photos of the Matam Bin Rajab mosque in Manama, Bahrain, 6 November 2026 (Hamad Mohammed/Reuters) Published date: 6 November 2026 16:42 GMT | Last update: 8 sec ago Bahrain is set to hold the largest mass trial of Shia clerics in the country's history, with rights groups accusing the judiciary of obtaining confessions through coercion and torture. On Sunday, a Bahraini court is set to hand down judgments to 69 defendants, among them 60 clerics, on charges of membership of a terrorist group, attempting to overthrow the "constitutional regime" and trying to promote Iran's political ideology. According to testimony obtained by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (Bird), the defendents were subjected to a range of abuses, including forced standing, prolonged blindfolding and handcuffing, sleep deprivation, and threats of physical and sexual violence against them and their families. They were also threatened with revocation of their citizenship and deportation. Sheikh Mohammed Saeed Al-Taitoon, a 62-year-old cleric, told investigators he was blindfolded and restrained for a week, and forced to stand despite severe urinary bleeding and kidney stones, while being denied necessary surgery. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Another, 57-year-old Sayed Moosa Jawad Alwedaie, told investigators he had been beaten, tortured with electricity and left naked. Twenty rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, called on the authorities to release those arbitrarily detained and drop charges based on peaceful religious activities, and to investigate allegations of mistreatment and torture. Iran tensions There has been repeated international criticism of the Bahraini authorities since their crackdown on a pro-democracy movement launched during the Arab Spring in 2011. The Sunni monarchy that rules the kingdom has repeatedly targeted the religious leaders of the country's Shia majority, often accusing them of links to the Islamic Republic of Iran. The US-Israel war on Iran led to the Islamic Republic launching a series of retaliatory attacks targeted US-allied states in the Gulf, including Bahrain, which has provoked a further crackdown on those with suspected links to Iran. 'Is this a joke?': Centcom podcast mocked as Iran war drags on Read More » Sixty-nine Bahraini citizens of Iranian heritage have also had their citizenship stripped. Tariq Al Hassan, head of Bahrain's agency responsible for internal security, told Reuters in an interview on Friday that the crackdown was aimed at confronting "an ideology that demands obedience to Iran's leadership above Bahrain's sovereign authority". Critics, however, say the move is a further attempt to suppress dissent in the kingdom. Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, advocacy director at Bird, described the trial as an "attack on the faith and identity of Bahrain’s Shia community" and one of the "ugliest forms of persecution" meted out by the state since 2011. "When allegations of torture are brushed aside and defendants are denied a meaningful opportunity to challenge the evidence against them, the judiciary becomes an instrument of persecution," he said in a statement. "This mockery of justice must end. It will leave lasting wounds and deepen divisions across the country." Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.