Iran Calls Bahrain’s Citizenship Crackdown a Human Rights Violation

Iran’s High Council for Human Rights has condemned Bahrain’s decision to revoke the citizenship of 69 individuals, describing the move as “arbitrary” and a form of “collective punishment” that violates international human rights standards.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Iranian body said the measure targeted clerics, activists, women, men, and even children, accusing Bahraini authorities of stripping them of nationality without judicial procedures or legal investigations.

The council argued that the action breached Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that no person should be arbitrarily deprived of nationality. It further described the inclusion of infants and children in the decision as “forced denationalization” and a violation of international protections for minors.

Bahrain’s Interior Ministry had announced last month that it revoked the citizenship of 69 people and their families over alleged support for Iran’s retaliatory strikes against US and Israeli military targets during the recent regional conflict. Authorities also accused those affected of publishing online content sympathetic to Iran and regional resistance groups.

According to Bahraini officials, the individuals endangered national security and public order through online activities that allegedly promoted instability.

Iran’s human rights body rejected those justifications, saying accusations such as “support for Iran” and “espionage” were repeatedly used to suppress dissent and silence critics in Bahrain.

The statement also called on the United Nations, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to condemn Bahrain’s actions and pressure Manama to restore the citizenship of all affected persons.

Iran further warned that weak international reactions could encourage further rights violations and said it reserved the right to pursue the issue through international legal and diplomatic channels.

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