Bahrain Mirror: The number of Bahraini citizens stripped of their nationalities is rapidly approaching to 800, as verdicts issued by Bahraini courts increase, using one of the harshest forms of punishment.

SALAM for Democracy and Human Rights said that the number of citizens whose nationalities were revoked amounted to 760 people since 2012 to date, noting that the year 2018 recorded the highest number of of nationals stripped of their citizenships nationalities, reaching 254.

The court had sentenced yesterday to life imprisonment 13 people accused by the authorities of forming "Saraya Al-Ashtar" and training on the manufacture of weapons and explosives, and revoked the nationalities of 11 of them, also fining seven defendants 100,000 dinars each.

Despite calls of human rights groups to abolish this penalty, the Bahraini authorities are increasing their use of it in the face of those who criticize their policies.

Amnesty International has confirmed that "the Bahraini government is using the revocation of citizenship - making many of its citizens stateless in this process - and expulsion from the country as tools to suppress all forms of opposition and its activities," adding that "the deprivation of citizens of their nationality arbitrarily, rendering them stateless persons, and forcing them to leave the country is a violation of international law. "

Bahrain is accused of running a widespread operation to achieve demographic change in the country by revoking the nationalities of hundreds of Bahrainis, and in return granting them to Arab and Asian foreigners.

Arabic Version