HRW: Manama regime revokes citizenship of 133 dissidents in 2016

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed deep concern over the high number of citizenship revocations in Bahrain, condemning the ruling Al Khalifah regime’s heavy-handed crackdown on political dissidents and rights activist in the Persian Gulf kingdom.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has expressed deep concern over the high number of citizenship revocations in Bahrain, condemning the ruling Al Khalifah regime’s heavy-handed crackdown on political dissidents and rights activist in the Persian Gulf kingdom.

UN Advocate at the HRW office in Geneva Laila Matar told media on Saturday that the international organization had recorded 133 cases of citizenship revocation in Bahrain last year, noting that the move came in response to the victims’ criticism of the Manama regime.

Matar added that Human Rights Watch was gravely concerned about military trials for civilians.

On March 5, the Consultative Council, the upper house of the Bahraini Parliament, voted for the measure less than two weeks after it was approved by the Council of Representatives, the lower house.