US Criticism of Execution of Three Shia Citizens in Bahrain

The US State Department has expressed concern over the execution of three Shia citizens in Bahrain, emphasizing reports that these individuals were "tortured" and "forced" to confess. The execution of Abbas al-Sami, Sami Meshimah, and Ali al-Sankis was announced by Bahraini officials on January 15, with all three accused of involvement in a bombing in 2014 that resulted in the deaths of two Bahraini officers and an Emirati officer. This execution marks the first of its kind since anti-government protests began in Bahrain six years ago. Religious and ethnic issues are said to be among the reasons for the protests; the majority in Bahrain are Shia Muslims, while the ruling government is Sunni. Following the announcement of the executions, John Kirby, spokesperson for the US State Department, responded on January 16, criticizing the actions. Kirby stated that Washington is "concerned that these executions occurred amid rising tensions in Bahrain." He condemned attacks on police and security forces, while also noting that there have been allegations that the executed individuals were victims of torture and that parts of the evidence used against them were gathered under forced confessions. These allegations have previously been raised by Bahraini activists and international human rights organizations. In another part of Kirby's statements, he urged the Bahraini government to pursue a path of reconciliation and to consider the demands of the majority of its citizens through comprehensive actions: "We believe this is the best way to marginalize extremists and create security and stability in the region." Bahrain is a strategic ally of the United States in the West Asia region, hosting the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet. Over the years, Washington has criticized the Manama government's actions against protesters and Bahraini citizens on various occasions, including its decision to revoke the citizenship of a prominent Shia cleric and its suspension of a Shia opposition group. The Bahraini government has accused several protesters of "violence" and "creating discord between Sunnis and Shias," attributing Iranian support to them. The Iranian government has denied these accusations, claiming that Bahrain's actions are a diversion from ignoring the protests in the country. In Freedom House's list since 2016, both Iran and Bahrain rank among the lowest in terms of political and civil liberties, with scores of 17 and 14 out of 100, respectively.