On 07 April 2026, the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science summoned prominent environmental activist and artist Mohammed Jawad Hameed. Contact with him has been lost since then, raising concerns that he may be subjected to ill-treatment or torture while being held incommunicado.

His arrest is part of a systematic campaign of arrests carried out by the authorities in Bahrain, which has included the detention of dozens of citizens, including religious figures and internet activists. Reliable local sources indicate that the number of detainees has exceeded 200, all of whom are facing ill-treatment and arbitrary detention without being allowed to contact their families or lawyers. Authorities are reportedly preparing to take many of them to court on terrorism charges, where they are unlikely to receive a fair trial.

The authorities are using the current war as a pretext to stifle public freedoms in an unprecedented manner. Their security apparatus monitors online content and persecutes citizens, including online activists and other activists, for expressing opinions that do not align with the government’s stance.

Recommendations

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) call on the Bahraini government to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience, including prominent environmental activist and artist Mohammed Jawad Hameed.

The authorities must respect the civil and human rights of citizens and residents at all times, whether in war or peace, hardship or prosperity. Security cannot be used as a justification for silencing free speech. The public freedoms of citizens, including freedom of expression online and beyond, and the freedom of peaceful assembly, must always be respected and protected.