BIRD

The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) is a London-based not-for-profit organisation advocating for human rights in Bahrain.

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

Protests broke out in Jau Prison, where inmates in Buildings 12 and 5 — which houses the majority of political prisoners — left their wards and moved toward other buildings yesterday. The protest followed broken promises of release, and with the continued failure to honour commitments and the absence of any prospect for resolving their unlawful imprisonment, tensions inside the prison escalated. This coincided with reports of serious violations against juvenile prisoners, along with growing testimonies of their ill-treatment.
Negotiations were underway with Jau Prison Director Mazen Al-Tamimi in an attempt to contain the situation, while the administration called on Sheikh Mirza Al-Mahroos to help calm the escalating tensions.

According to information received by BIRD at the time of sharing these updates, the situation has been resolved.

[IFEX @IFEX]

#Bahrain 🇧🇭 Today, Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace marks 4 years on a solid-food hunger strike protesting the confiscation of his manuscript. @BirdBahrain_ highlights medical neglect and prolonged solitary confinement, urging his immediate release. #FreeAlSingace https://t.co/JGsiXh8M5V

[Michael Page @MichaelARPage]

Important @BirdBahrain_ statement: "We are gravely concerned about Bahraini human rights defender and respected academic Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace, 63, who is serving a life sentence... solely for exercising his rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in Bahrain."

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#Bahrain must free Bahraini human rights defender and respected academic Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace.

Today marks 4 years since he has been on a solid food hunger strike to protest the arbitrary confiscation of his research by Bahraini authorities.

He has spent over 14 years unfairly detained in Bahrain and continues to be held in prolonged solitary confinement and denied adequate medical care & sun exposure.

Read BIRD’s full statement marking this solemn anniversary here: https://t.co/g8Gdo725VE

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#Bahrain: Families of political prisoners in Jau Prison issued an urgent statement calling for the release of their loved ones today, 24 June 2025:

"In light of the escalating security situation and the heightened state of emergency in Bahrain, we — the families of political prisoners — renew our urgent call for the release of our loved ones.

The failure to release political prisoners during Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha has caused deep disappointment and anguish for our families. Now, with growing regional tensions, sirens sounding across Bahrain last night, and no guarantees of de-escalation or an end to the war, our fears for the safety of our loved ones behind bars are mounting.

It is time to close this painful humanitarian chapter. The continued suffering of political prisoners and their families is a deep wound that only worsens with each crisis the country faces."

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

Another powerful intervention by @Paulscriven asking the UK Government:

"Over £42 million of UK government spending from 2020 on the Gulf Strategy Fund has failed to demonstrably improve many of the human rights abuses detailed by the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy and Human Rights Watch across the Gulf states, and noting that this free trade agreement lacks robust and enforceable human rights provisions, will the Minister explain how this combined approach effectively helps uphold the UK’s commitments to human rights in this region?"

[Paul Scriven 🔶️ @Paulscriven]

I'm worried that trade trumps human rights in this trade agreement. Over £42M of UK taxpayers money spent on supporting Gulf states to improve on human rights and yet still no real progress!

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace has refused his daily medical checkups since Monday (21 April) in protest of the Bahraini authorities’ delays in refilling his medications.

He remains on a solid food hunger strike and intends to stop taking salts if @moi_bahrain fails to provide his medications this week — risking his life further only to demand his basic rights.

#Bahrain must end these violations immediately.

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#Bahrain: Investigations by BIRD into a series of recent targeting of Bahrainis attending Sheikh Ali Salman’s ‘majlis’ reveal an intimidation campaign by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).

Sheikh Ali Salman is the leader of the dissolved Bahraini opposition party Al-Wefaq who was sentenced to life in prison after his arrest in 2014.

On 19 April 2025, Bahrainis were summoned and questioned mainly about their visit to Sheikh Ali Salman's Majlis on 8 April 2025, which was widely documented on social media.

Questions included asking who they shook hands with, who was present, and whether they had contact with Sheikh Ali’s family.

Several individuals reported that the investigating officers insisted on calling Sheikh Ali by his first name, rather than his title. One individual was also told “You are not allowed to go to the Majlis.”

Many of those summoned were also asked for the names and occupations of their family members. The nature of these interrogations — implying that their families may be under threat — is similar to tactics used by the National Security Agency in 2017.

The next day, 20 April, the CID expanded this questioning to include Sheikh Ali Salman’s close relatives — with questions as trivial as “Who opens the Majlis?” and “Who prepares the tea?”

Given that those summoned were not violating any laws, BIRD remains concerned that these summons were designed to intimidate Bahrainis and shut down the Majlis through intimidation and pressure, rather than through an official order of the Interior Ministry.

‘Majlis’ are sitting places or gatherings where community members gather to discuss local events and issues, exchange news, receive guests, and socialise.

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#BahrainGP - BIRD also sent a letter to @FIA leadership raising alarm about using dictators’ playbook to restrict drivers’ free speech.

Read the full letter here: https://t.co/mYpC6ZC8Zk

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#BahrainGP - F1 accused of ignoring human rights abuses.

We have been told that @F1 takes its responsibility on human rights seriously YET it shuts the door on anyone who exposes inconvenient truths about repressive host states.

F1 has lost all shreds of credibility by choosing to remain silent and failing even to acknowledge the concerns raised by activists and victims.

https://t.co/yO3B57MxTw

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#BahrainGP - BIRD sent a letter to F1 boss to come on the record and share if @F1 has taken any steps to make sure Bahraini citizens do not face reprisals for exercising their fundamental right.

Read the letter here: https://t.co/nj5PS1vVBE

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#Bahrain: Yesterday marked the 14th anniversary of the unjust arrest of Danish-Bahraini human rights defender, Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja.

On 9 April 2011, he was abducted, tortured, and subjected to long-term imprisonment for speaking up for human rights.

Watch his testimony to Bahrain’s Supreme Court of Appeal in May 2012 read out by @PaulaLarrain1 @SAlwadaei @brandt_sara @AgobYacoub @SAlwadaei

We continue to demand Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja’s immediate and unconditional release. #FreeAlKhawaja

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

Today marks 14 years since the arrest of leading Bahraini activists Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace (63), Hasan Mushaima (77), Abdulwahab Husain (71), Sheikh Abdul Hadi Al-Mukhodher (55) & Sheikh Saeed Al-Noori & (52).

#Bahrain forcibly disappeared, tortured & convicted them in sham trials solely for their peaceful role in the 2011 pro-democracy protests.

They are among 10 political ‘icons’ arrested between 17 March and 9 April 2011 who remain unjustly imprisoned in Bahrain & whose cases were documented by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).

Bahrain must free them all now.

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

Sheikh Mohammed Habib al-Muqdad is a dual Swedish-Bahraini national and a notable religious and opposition figure in #Bahrain who was arrested and severely tortured by Bahraini authorities.

In testimony to Bahrain’s Supreme Court of Appeal on 19 June 2012, he recounted the harrowing details of his arrest 14 years ago today:

“After they brutally arrested me, they took off all of my clothes and started beating me with sticks and batons, which they held in their hands. I was bleeding badly. I was transferred to the car after my eyes were blindfolded tightly, and from that point, they moved me to an underground prison.”

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#Bahrain: Today marks the 14th anniversary of the arbitrary arrest of Sheikh Mirza Mahroos, a respected religious scholar.

He was subjected to severe torture and interrogation for seven days at the National Security Agency’s headquarters.

Sheikh Mahroos has completed 14 years of his 15-year sentence but was excluded from royal pardons and alternative sentences, despite his age and medical condition. We renew our calls for his release and express deep concern about his fragile health.

He testified to Bahrain’s Supreme Court of Appeal on 22 May 2012, stating:

“I was arrested on 1st April 2011, when National Security Forces, accompanied by heavily armed riot troops, surrounded my home at approximately three o'clock in the morning. They initiated their assault by climbing into the house and breaking down its inner doors.”

“They dragged me out of the room where I was sleeping, into the hall, where they started beating and torturing me over various parts of my body. This continued for about half an hour. Then, with my hands tied behind with iron fetters and eyes blindfolded, they took me out of the house.”

[BIRD @BirdBahrain_]

#Bahrain: There are a total 362 political prisoners currently serving their sentences in Jau Prison.

Breakdown by building:

12 - Building 1 (Death row inmates)
93 - Building 3
95 - Building 2
77 - Building 5
14 - Building 4
19 - Building 12
10 - Building 14 - Political ‘icons’
2 -  Kanoo Center (Hasan Mushaima and Dr. Abduljalil Al-Singace)
40 - Building 11 - Open Prisons Building

The figures are based on BIRD’s monitoring and do not include prisoners held at Dry Dock Prison.

Families are anticipating releases on Eid al-Fitr.