Hawzah News Agency- In a statement denouncing the Bahraini government's crackdown and what he described as sham courts targeting devout scholars, Ayatollah Alireza Arafi, Director of the Islamic Republic of Iran's Seminaries, warned Manama that its current course would lead to isolation and a loss of international credibility.
The full text of the statement, released by the Hawzah News Agency, is as follows:
In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful
"O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do." (Quran 5:8)
While justice has been the primary mission of God's prophets, the Bahraini government's recent actions go beyond injustice — they are a clear example of "violation of fundamental rights" and a "direct assault on the pillars of the community's guidance." We regard these measures not as a political error but as a deliberate policy of repression aimed at undermining the standing of religion and Islam.
The issuance of judicial rulings on February 8, 2026, against more than 60 elites, senior professors, and prominent directors of seminaries, along with the setting of a date for the execution of these unjust verdicts, constitutes an overt conspiracy to target the scholarly and religious symbols of Shiites. These show trials, which have no religious legitimacy or legal validity, are merely a harsh instrument for applying political pressure and violating religious freedom.
On behalf of the eminent scholars, professors, students, and distinguished members of the seminaries, the following points are emphasized:
First: A Serious Warning to the Bahraini Government
We warn the government and regime of Bahrain that the current path leads toward isolation and the loss of international credibility. Violating the rights of scholars and targeting religion and religious communities undermines the stability and security of Islamic societies. Any expansion of these measures will bring heavy political and social consequences for the Bahraini government that will spiral beyond its control.
Second: Exposing the Role of Divisive Enemies
We regard these actions as part of the sinister, organized plots of the enemies of Islam and humanity, particularly the United States and the Zionist regime. By engineering religious crises in the heart of Islamic countries, these arrogant regimes seek to sow division and weaken the authority of the ummah of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH). The entire Islamic ummah, along with its elites and academic centers, must stand against such corruption and divisiveness.
Third: Defense of Islamic Scholars and the Dear People of Bahrain
Defending the intellectuals, elites, and prominent scholars of Bahrain, as well as supporting its oppressed and resilient people, is a duty incumbent upon all. The seminaries will fulfill their responsibilities in this arena.
It is emphasized that we will not retreat from any path in supporting and defending the rights of the Bahraini people and their young great scholars, and this case will continue to be pursued through all legal and international avenues and before major Islamic authorities. If justice is not established in unjust courts, it will certainly be established in the arena of history and before God, and nations will secure their rights, freedoms, and dignity.
"And there is no victory except from Allah, the Almighty, the Wise."
Alireza Arafi
Director of Iran's Seminaries
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