Bahraini Activist Raps Manama’s Decision to Revoke Citizenship of Nationals

Manama’s decision to revoke citizenship of 31 lawyers and activists is an illegal act which proves the autocratic nature of the Al Khalifa regime, a senior Bahraini human rights activist said Saturday.

“Revoking the citizenship of Bahraini citizens demonstrates that the country is governed by a dictatorial attitude and authoritarian thoughts,” President of the Bahrain Forum for Human Rights Yusuof Rabie told Al Alam TV network.

“The country is governed by emergency laws and citizens’ rights have been violated; thus, all people are demanding exercise of justice,” Rabie added.

He also called on those nationals who have been deprived of their citizenship to file complaints against Manama at international courts.

The Bahraini government, facing protracted unrest by its Shiite Muslim majority, has revoked the nationality of 31 men on charges of harming national security, the state news agency (BNA) reported on Wednesday.

The men include London-based dissidents Saeed al-Shehabi and Ali Mushaima, the son of jailed opposition leader Hassan Mushaima, as well as clerics, human rights lawyers and activists.

Also on the list published by BNA were two former parliamentarians from the leading Shiite party Wefaq, Jawad and Jalal Fairooz.