ALWEFAQ
National Islamic Society expresses its deep concern over the ongoing arrest campaign carried out by the Bahraini security authorities, which resulted yesterday, Monday (March 30, 2026), in the arrest of religious scholars and a number of citizens, bringing the total number of detainees to more than 200, in addition to the summoning of thousands of citizens since the beginning of March.
These measures come in connection with the recent events and public reactions related to the ongoing regional developments.
The Cybercrime Directorate summoned religious scholar Sheikh Aziz Al-Khodran for interrogation before placing him under arrest over his publicly declared positions on Islamic and national issues.
The General Directorate of Criminal Investigation also summoned and arrested religious scholar Sheikh Hassan Al-Qassab following his response to a religious inquiry related to current events.
Security forces also arrested a number of citizens after summoning them or detaining them at security checkpoints, as part of the expanding arrest campaign.
In a late statement on Monday, the Ministry of Interior announced what it described as a “terrorist cell” and published the names and photos of three citizens before the completion of investigations, raising serious concerns about due process and fair trial standards, especially amid growing fears that confessions may be extracted under torture.
The authorities continue to target citizens over their political views and expressions of solidarity, in an escalating security campaign that reflects a state of undeclared emergency measures.
Al-Wefaq warns of the serious risk that detainees may be subjected to torture or ill-treatment inside detention facilities, particularly in light of recent shocking evidence showing signs of severe torture on detainee Sayyed Mohammed Al-Mousawi, who died shortly after his arrest.
The campaign has also been accompanied by incitement, defamation, and sectarian hate speech against citizens through local media and online platforms.
Al-Wefaq stresses the need to respect human rights, uphold international law, and immediately release detainees who were arrested for expressing their opinions.
The society calls for independent investigations into allegations of torture and demands accountability for all violations.
