The persecution of Shiite religious scholars in Bahrain is part of a much longer history of political exclusion and oppression under the al-Khalifa dynasty.
￭ On May 9, 2026, authorities in Bahrain arrested 44 people in a campaign targeting religious scholars and Shia preachers, according to the Bahrain Forum for Human Rights.
￭ The mass trial involves 69 defendants, including 60 Shiite clerics, who are accused of ties to Iran due to their opposition to Zionism and US military bases.
￭ On November 8, the court postponed its verdict to November 22, against the background of demonstrations that demanded the release of the scholars.
￭ Bahrain's Shiite majority faces long-standing discrimination and political exclusion, while the ruling al-Khalifa dynasty has maintained centuries of power with British and US backing.