Bahrain king pardons 457 prisoners: What we know

Bahrain pardoned 457 prisoners on Wednesday evening, a move that a prominent rights group said is positive but does not go far enough as some key activists are not expected to be included.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a royal decree pardoning 457 inmates on the 25th anniversary of his ascension to the throne. The official Bahrain News Agency reported that the decision shows the ruler’s “dedication to fostering social cohesion and upholding the principles of justice and the rule of law.”

“It also aims to balance legal accountability with the humanitarian and social circumstances of the inmates, providing them with an opportunity to reintegrate into society,” reported the agency.

Who was pardoned? The report did not indicate who specifically had been pardoned. The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy said in a post on X that “political prisoners” are expected to be among those pardoned.

The group’s advocacy director praised the king’s move but said more prisoners should be released.

“While these releases represent a significant step forward, the best path for the country's future would be to release those imprisoned since 2011 for calling for democratic change,” said Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei in the Wednesday statement.

Alwadaei named Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, Abduljalil al-Singace and Hassan Mushaima as prisoners who should be released.

“Their releases would turn the page on a dark era in Bahrain,” he said.

The three activists were among those arrested during the 2011 Arab Spring protests in Bahrain.

Khawaja’s daughter, Maryam al-Khawaja, said in a video post on X Wednesday night that she is “not very optimistic” her father will be released.

“These are prisoners that should have never been imprisoned to begin with,” she said, adding that she has “heard” political prisoners may be released, though she said there is "no guarantee" of how many or who.

The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and various other groups wrote an open letter to King Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa in December calling for Mushaima's release, saying the activist “requires urgent medical treatment that he is currently not receiving.” He was 75-years-old at the time, per the letter.

The king has pardoned prisoners in the past. He issued a decree pardoning 1,584 prisoners in April and another pardoning 545 in June.

King Khalifa has served as king since 2002, having previously ruled as emir since 1999. He dissolved the position of emir in 2002 and became king of the Gulf state.

Bahrain launched a brutal crackdown on the 2011 protests with help from Saudi and Emirati forces. Activists in the Shiite-majority country have long alleged repression from the Sunni monarchy.

Why it matters: Bahrain’s human rights record has been widely criticized for its treatment of detainees. In its 2023 report on human rights practices in Bahrain, the US State Department noted that “significant human rights issues included credible reports of: cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment by the government; arbitrary arrest or detention; serious problems with the independence of the judiciary; political prisoners or detainees,” among other abuses.

Human Rights Watch said in its 2023 report that both Khawaja and Singace were “without access to adequate medical care” in prison, adding “authorities failed to hold officials accountable for torture and ill-treatment in detention.”

Bahrain is a non-NATO ally of the United States and aligns with Washington on some regional issues, despite the criticism. Bahrain was the only Arab state to support the US and UK strikes against the Houthi rebels in Yemen in January.

Know more: Alwadaei told the Associated Press that the pardon "does seem to be also coming within a regional context where Bahrain is trying to normalize with Iran.”

Like Saudi Arabia, Bahrain cut ties with Iran in 2016 after the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The incident followed the execution of Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

In June, Bahrain and Iran’s foreign ministers met in Tehran and agreed to start talks on resuming relations.

Bahrain’s overtures toward Iran followed Saudi Arabia and Iran resuming relations last year in a deal brokered by China.