Bahrain Sentences 12 to 10 Years for Passing Information to Iran

Bahrain on Tuesday sentenced 12 defendants to 10 years in prison for offenses linked to what the public prosecution described as support for Iranian terrorist attacks against the kingdom. Some of the defendants were also fined, and the court ordered the confiscation of items seized from them.

According to the prosecution, the defendants obtained and transmitted banned sensitive data, photographed locations where filming was prohibited, and spread false rumors on social media during the Iranian attacks directed at Bahrain. Authorities said these actions were intended to damage public morale, stir panic, and undermine public security.

The public prosecution said it received reports from the cybercrime department after monitoring social media accounts that contained photos, videos and comments expressing support for the Iranian attacks on the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as the publication of sensitive information and images of critical sites that were forbidden to record.

Prosecutors had sought the death penalty in a case described as espionage for the enemy, arguing that the defendants had photographed sites and locations with the intent of handing over state security secrets, an act it characterized as treason. The court instead imposed prison sentences.