Bahrain - March 2026

On 6 March, the Interior Ministry announced a ban on public protests. The move came after several days of demonstrations and online expressions of dissent in relation to the strikes by the United States and Israel against Iran. Human rights groups reported dozens of people were arrested around the same time for taking part in or filming protests, as well as for posting critical content online. Authorities, for their part, have described those detained as posing ‘security concerns,’ pointing to alleged support for Iran or suspicions of espionage, and have described the measures as needed to ‘preserve public safety.’ In practice, the ban is likely to disproportionately impact the country's large Shia community, given its prominent role in past protest movements and prior patterns of enforcement.

Sources: Human Rights Watch, Middle East Eye, Associated Press, IFEX, Al Monitor, France 24