Bahrain jails 24 over ‘support for Iran attacks’

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 High Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced 24 defendants to prison terms ranging from five to ten years in 22 cases linked to support for what authorities described as Iranian terrorist attacks targeting the kingdom, a senior prosecutor said.

 According to the head of the Terror Crimes Prosecution, the court also fined some of the defendants 2,000 Bahraini dinars . One additional defendant was sentenced to one year in prison and fined the same amount. The court ordered the confiscation of seized materials.

 The Public Prosecution said the cases stemmed from reports by the cybercrime unit, which identified social media accounts allegedly promoting and endorsing attacks attributed to Iran, publishing sensitive data, and sharing images of restricted locations.

 Authorities also accused the defendants of spreading false news and rumors online aimed at undermining public morale and security during what was described as hostile attacks against Bahrain.

 The prosecution said the accounts posted images, videos, and comments supporting hostile acts, as well as information classified as sensitive and prohibited from publication. The content allegedly included material that could incite panic and harm public order.

 Investigations led to the identification of the account holders, after which prosecutors questioned the suspects, heard witness testimony, and commissioned forensic experts to examine seized electronic devices. The results, according to authorities, confirmed the charges.

 The defendants were referred to trial before the High Criminal Court, where proceedings took place over several hearings with legal safeguards in place, including defense representation.

 In a statement, the Public Prosecution reiterated that freedom of expression is protected under the law but must not be used to harm national security or stability.