Bahraini Cleric Warns Al Khalifa of ‘Collapse’ Over Crackdown

Bahrain Cleric Says Continued Crackdown Could Lead to Collapse

WebDesk

15 May, 2026 04:50

Bahrain Cleric Says Continued Crackdown Could Lead to Collapse

A prominent Bahraini opposition cleric has warned that the Al Khalifa dynasty risks collapse unless it halts its intensifying crackdown on citizens, as Manama accelerates detentions of Shia scholars following the start of the US-Israeli campaign against Iran.

Sheikh Abdullah al-Daqaq, a senior figure in Bahrain’s religious seminaries, told a press conference that the ruling family’s systematic use of torture, prosecution, and citizenship revocations reflects a deep political and legal crisis.

He called on international human rights bodies to take a more active role in monitoring the situation.

“The current situation demonstrates the depth of the political and legal crisis in the ruling regime,” Daqaq said, according to remarks carried by local opposition media.

He specifically condemned the revocation of citizenship for dozens of citizens and their families, a practice Manama has used for years against activists and clerics deemed a threat to state security.

Daqaq dismissed recent accusations against Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qasim, the kingdom’s most senior Shia cleric, as “completely false.” Qasim, whose citizenship was revoked in 2016, has been a frequent target of state criticism.

“Targeting such religious and national figures will only strengthen the resolve of the Bahraini people,” Daqaq said.

“If the Al Khalifa do not immediately reconsider their hostile actions against citizens and stop their policies of elimination and pressure, they will have no fate but collapse,” the cleric warned.

The warnings come as Bahrain has adopted the toughest stance among Persian Gulf Cooperation Council states against Tehran following Iran’s missile and drone operations against US and Israeli military assets across West Asia. Bahrain remains a key US ally hosting the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet.

Since late April, masked security forces have detained dozens of Shia scholars, including Jamil al-A’ali, Mahmoud al-A’ali, Radhi al-Qaffas, and Jassim al-Mu’min, on undisclosed charges, according to activists. Their whereabouts remain unknown.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said in a statement on May 9 that authorities had detained 41 individuals on charges of affiliation with Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), though it provided no details on their alleged activities.

On April 27, the Manama regime revoked the citizenship of 69 individuals and their families for “expressing support for Iran attacks” against US and Israeli assets.

Daqaq, who teaches at advanced levels in Bahrain’s religious seminaries, said events in Bahrain and elsewhere in the region are part of a “targeted project” directed by Israel and carried out by “collaborationist actors” to undermine Shia beliefs and communities.

Human rights groups have repeatedly criticized Bahrain for revoking citizenship as a collective punishment, a practice international law generally prohibits.