[Salon] Bahrain divided by the Iran war - ArabDigest.org Guest Post

Bahrain divided by the Iran war Summary: the death of a Bahraini activist in detention and mass arrests amid a government crackdown exposes political divides and a climate of fear in the small Gulf island kingdom. We thank Andrew McIntosh for today’s newsletter. Andrew is the Director of Research at the NGO SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights. His specialty fields are media analysis, sectarianism and statelessness in Bahrain, Kuwait and Syria. The Iran war has reopened political and sectarian wounds in Bahrain. Seven weeks of conflict have not only damaged Bahrain’s economy but have also torn the island nation’s already frayed social fabric. Iranian drone strikes have set people on edge at the same time that protests have erupted in support of Iran leading to accusations of espionage resulting in severe restrictions on freedoms and civil space. Bahrain has been securitised to a level not seen since the aftermath of mass protests during the Arab Spring. The result is a society more divided than it has been since those protests were violently suppressed in 2011, leaving many Bahrainis angry and fearful. In a country where the US is unpopular there is growing opposition to the presence of American bases including the US Fifth Fleet headquartered in the capital Manama. Others fear the potential existence of pro-Iranian cells. These fears and tensions have been exacerbated by the recent death of a Shi’a activist in custody, accused by the authorities of collaborating with Iran. On 16 March, Sayed Mohammed al-Mousawi was arrested by Bahraini security forces with five others while stopped at a checkpoint near the city of Muharraq. Al-Mousawi, a Bahraini Shi’a Muslim photographer who had been vocal about his opposition to the war and his support for the Axis of Resistance was reportedly taken into custody over pro-Iranian content found on his phone. He disappeared for five days, with his family unable to reach him. On 21 March, the family was instructed by authorities to come to a military hospital, where they were led to the morgue to identify their son’s body. The body, deeply bruised, lacerated and bloodied, bore clear signs of severe torture. Large crowds gathered for the funeral of Sayed Mohammed Al-Mousawi, the 32-year-old tortured to death by Bahraini security forces following his arrest in a crackdown on those opposed to the US-Israeli war on Iran. For members of Bahrain’s banned opposition movements, al-Mousawi’s death is a harsh reminder of the brutality dissenters have faced at the hands of the Bahraini state. The ruling Sunni Muslim Al-Khalifa crushed the 2011 uprising declaring martial law, killing protesters in the streets and in detention and using torture systematically. In the country’s politicised courts opposition leaders were sentenced to long prison terms and in some cases to life. Having silenced any dissent the Bahraini government made considerable efforts to reassure the international community it was engaged in meaningful efforts to improve human rights and institute democratic reforms. Al-Mousawi’s killing undoes all of that, confirming the worst fears of Bahraini dissidents and human rights advocates. His funeral was attended by civilians and prominent Bahraini activists, who transformed the event into a peaceful protest that authorities attempted to contain. On 16 April the authorities announced they were charging an officer with the National Security Agency with assault leading to death of an individual in custody. The victim was not named though it is clear that it was al-Mousawi. Regardless of the outcome of the case against the officer, within the Shi’a community there is little belief that in Bahrain’s highly politicised courts justice will prevail. Al-Mousawi has become a symbol of martyrdom under state oppression: a young Shi’a who was persecuted and ultimately killed for his beliefs. However for government loyalists, he was seen as a dangerous pro-Iranian agent who had been previously imprisoned for 12 years on terrorism charges. They accept the government narrative that he had colluded with Iran in a war where military and civilian infrastructure has been attacked by the Iranians, killing two and injuring over fifty. The Bahraini government has amplified such narratives, building on longstanding fears from pro-government Bahrainis that Iran seeks to undermine or annex the country. Although the Ministry of Interior has promised an investigation into al-Mousawi’s death, it also highlighted the accusation against him of collaborating with the IRGC and claimed that pictures of his body were “inaccurate”. These official interventions from the state, including state media sharing the names and faces of individuals accused of espionage before they are officially charged and tried, reveal deep institutional bias where authorities are quick to name and intimidate anyone they suspect of undermining the authority of the Al-Khalifa. Allegations include taking pictures of drone impacts, criticising Bahrain’s alliance with the US and Israel and showing support for Palestine. Bahraini human rights activists claim that attempts to depict Al-Mousawi and others arrested as part of a treasonous clique ignore systemic inequalities in Bahraini law, drawing attention to the fact that the country’s definition of terrorism is incredibly broad and has been historically used to prosecute peaceful dissenters. One former Bahraini politician who did not want to be named explains, “The charge of terrorism can be brought against anyone who publicly opposes the government. Whether it’s criticising the [Bahraini] government online, throwing a firebomb or colluding with a foreign entity, the charge is the same.” Moreover, the manner of Al-Mousawi’s death has revived memories of similar killings in custody further damaging trust among many Shi’a. Since the war began, over 230 individuals have been arrested in Bahrain. Many face serious charges for engaging in marches or filming drone impacts. The charges include espionage for which they could face “death for treason” as Bahrain's state-controlled media puts it. Some have remarked that the torture and death of al-Mousawi was intended as an implicit threat, meant to silence other would-be protesters in the country. With the five other individuals arrested alongside him still missing, the threat feels very real. It has already had chilling effects. Al-Mousawi’s father complained that the Ministry of Interior told him to cease making public remarks about his son's death. Other Bahrainis have recently fled the country: “I have left Bahrain for now. I’ve been very active online, and the government is calling me and telling me to stop. I don’t know when I’ll be going back.” Activists abroad have found themselves subjected to renewed harassment campaigns online, while those on the ground fear that the Bahraini government could embark on a new campaign of mass citizenship stripping when hostilities end. Following the uprising in 2011, at least 985 Bahrainis were stripped of their nationalities, with many rendered stateless as a consequence. Facing discrimination at home, some Bahrainis believe Iran acts as a counterweight to the Al-Khalifa, enabling Shi’a to hang on to what limited rights they have while attempting to push for more. Despite Iran having an incredibly poor human rights record, Iranian and pro-Iranian media regularly cover human rights abuses and sectarian discrimination in Bahrain, a topic mostly ignored in Western media. One Shi’a Bahraini , requesting anonymity, claimed “If Iran loses the war, the [Bahraini] government can do whatever it wants to us.” However, that same belief exposes them to further accusations of treason from pro-government commentators. With the outcome of the ceasefire between Iran and the US remaining uncertain, Bahrain is likely to suffer persistent instability further damaging its economy as well as denting the international image of security and prosperity the regime has meticulously worked to construct. For the Shi’a community and for many Sunnis, it is a bleak reminder that an inability for society to heal from 2011 has left Bahrainis once again divided and anxious, not only fearful for their freedom and security but also dreading that the country can never truly move forward.