Bahrain Imposes New Restrictions on Shiite Religious Observance

The Bahraini government recently introduced stringent regulations on the observance of a significant Shiite religious event. This is part of ongoing actions against the country’s Shiite Muslim population amidst continuing sectarian issues linked to the Iran conflict.

Bahrain, governed by a Sunni monarchy, has a majority population of Twelver Shiites, the same branch of Islam practiced in Iran. The religious festival of Ashura, commemorated each year by Shiites on the 10th of Muharram, remembers the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Prophet Muhammad. It typically includes processions, battle re-enactments, and sermons, drawing large crowds.

Traditionally lasting 10 days, Bahrain’s authorities have now reduced Ashura’s observance to five days. Processions must end by midnight, except in the capital, Manama, where they can continue until 2 a.m. Previously, processions could run throughout the night until dawn.

The government also prohibited its citizens from traveling to Iran and Iraq indefinitely. Although the travel ban did not specifically mention Ashura, it hinders the annual pilgrimages many Bahrainis take to Karbala, a city with some of the holiest Shiite shrines in Iraq.

Bahrain, a significant ally to the United States and host to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters, has been a target of numerous Iranian drone and missile attacks during recent conflicts. The authorities frequently accuse Iran of inciting turmoil among Bahrain’s Shiite citizens. The government also suppresses dissent, as seen in 2011 when a pro-democracy protest was forcibly stopped.