Bahrain’s king has granted clemency to 457 prisoners to commemorate his 25th year as the nation’s ruler, with suggestions from an activist that several of those released might have been political detainees. The announcement by the state-operated Bahrain News Agency reflects another significant release of inmates in the Persian Gulf nation, known for its crackdown on dissent following the Arab Spring protests in 2011.
There was no specific list detailing the names of the prisoners freed on the orders of King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who ascended to power as Bahrain’s emir in 1999 before the country’s transition to a kingdom in 2002. The government of Bahrain did not immediately respond to inquiries for comments.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, the advocacy director for the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, mentioned that a substantial number of those released seemed to be political prisoners who were previously detained at the Jaw Rehabilitation and Reform Center. The facility has witnessed protests and hunger strikes by inmates over the prevailing conditions.
Alwadaei stated, “Authorities have been in discussions with hundreds, assuring them of their imminent release. It appears that the focus is primarily on political prisoners.” He further noted, “This represents a positive development and seems to be part of a wider regional context where Bahrain is seeking to improve relations with Iran.”
Bahrain’s Shiite population has frequently raised concerns over mistreatment and oppression by the government, which is controlled by the Sunni Al Khalifa family. Addressing the grievances of activists could potentially aid Bahrain in easing tensions with Iran, despite longstanding hostilities, notably following a diplomatic détente between Saudi Arabia and Iran mediated by China last year.
In a similar move in April, King Hamad had pardoned 1,584 prisoners, including more than 650 individuals categorized as political prisoners by the Bahrain Institute. Notable figures among the detainees include Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a Danish-Bahraini national convicted of terrorism-related charges, whose imprisonment has been condemned as “arbitrary” by a United Nations panel.
Bahrain, which hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet in the Middle East, consists of an island near Saudi Arabia comparable in size to New York City, with a population of approximately 1.5 million. Following the suppression of the 2011 protests aided by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain has detained activists, expelled others, revoked citizenship from hundreds, and shut down its primary independent newspaper.
Concurrently, Bahrain has forged diplomatic ties with Israel and welcomed Pope Francis in November 2022.
