.jpg?20260706')
A trial of 19 defendants, accused of allegedly establishing and managing a terrorist organisation, began at the High Criminal Court yesterday.
According to the Public Prosecution, the group was formed with the aim of calling for the suspension of the provisions of the Constitution and the law, preventing state institutions and authorities from carrying out their duties, undermining national unity, and seeking to alter the nation’s constitutional system and to remove its state authorities.
The defendants allegedly sought to promote and entrench the ideology of Wilayat Al Faqih, as an extension of the Iranian Revolution, advocating for complete allegiance to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran and subordination to its political authority.
The Terrorism Prosecution claimed that the defendants pursued their aims by seeking control over places of worship like ma’atams (community centres), exploiting them to disseminate that ideology.
They allegedly aimed to incite opposition to the kingdom’s established system of governance, call for its overthrow, promote ideas hostile to the state, and support activities intended to undermine Bahrain’s security and stability.
The suspects were referred to criminal trial by the prosecution after an investigation and all deny the charges in court.
They were among 41 people arrested in May over alleged links to terrorism-related activities. They were accused of being in contact with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and collecting funds to support it.
Since a series of trials began in March, it has been reported that 19 other individuals have been sentenced to life in prison over various charges related to sympathising with Iranian hostilities or colluding with the IRGC as Bahrain, and other Gulf states, endured unprovoked aggression including missile and drone attacks targeting infrastructure and civilians.
Charges included photographing vital sites, spreading false news or rumours on social media, and posting speech that contained positive sentiment regarding Iranian attacks.
Last month, 12 defendants in 11 separate cases were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, with some also ordered to pay fines of up to BD2,000 for offences linked to endorsing and promoting Iranian attacks targeting Bahrain.
On another verdict day, the court handed down prison sentences to seven defendants ranging from five to 10 years and issued fines of up to BD2,000 in six separate trials related to the glorification of Iranian hostilities against Bahrain.
In May, 12 people, including a woman were sentenced to life in prison in four separate cases after being convicted of passing information to the IRGC. In one case, two individuals were fined BD10,000 each. Two others were also jailed for three years. And, in April, five men were sentenced to life in prison, in two separate cases, after being convicted of acting as informants for Iran. A sixth defendant was declared innocent of all charges.
&uuid=(email))