In mass trial 139 defendants (of which 60 outside country) convicted of working to establish “Bahraini Hizbollah” 16 April, 138 defendants to be stripped of citizenship and 69 sentenced to death. King Al Khalifa 21 April issued order to restore citizenship to 551 people previously stripped of it, many in mass trials, without giving reason.

Govt 9 Feb said it would cut costs to meet deficit reduction targets mandated by $10bn aid package from fellow Gulf states agreed Oct 2018 aimed at eliminating budget deficit by 2022.

Highest court 28 Jan upheld life sentence for jailed leader of outlawed Shia opposition society al-Wefaq, Sheikh Ali Salman, accused of spying on behalf of Qatar during 2011 uprising.

Results of 24 Nov parliamentary election released, first such election since govt dissolved opposition groups al-Wefaq in 2016 and Waad in 2017. Younger candidates and women gained significantly, as did newcomers; few incumbents chose to run. High Court 31 Dec upheld five-year jail sentence against human rights activist Nabeel Rajab convicted in Feb over social media posts accusing prison service of torture.

First round vote for 40 parliamentary seats and 30 municipal council seats since govt dissolved opposition groups al-Wefaq in 2016 and Waad in 2017 held 24 Nov. Opposition disputed official turnout of 67%. In first round parliamentary vote, two of nine winners were incumbents; run-off vote set for 1 Dec to decide remaining 31 seats. In run-up to vote, court 4 Nov sentenced former al-Wefaq leader, Shiite cleric Sheikh Ali Salman, to life in prison on charges of spying for Qatar in 2011, also charging two Bahraini nationals with receiving late Oct illicit Qatari support to fund parliamentary campaigns.

Following killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul 2 Oct, Bahrain 20 Oct made statement supportive of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia, UAE and Kuwait 5 Oct signed agreement providing $10bn to Bahrain to support fiscal program aimed at eliminating budget deficit by 2022.

Govt 16 Aug rejected finding of UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that jailing of activist Nabeel Rajab was “unlawful” and “discriminatory”. Amid ongoing feud with Qatar, govt 21 Aug said it would no longer issue visas to Qataris. Ali Mushaima, son of jailed opposition leader Hassan Mushaima, 1 Aug began hunger strike outside Bahraini embassy in London to protest govt’s alleged refusal to allow his father medical treatment; Hassan Mushaima taken to hospital for cancer scan 28 Aug, but son continued hunger strike end month.

U.S. 10 July designated al-Ashtar Brigades, Shiite militant group which it characterised as Iranian proxy, as terrorist organisation; Bahrain 16 July praised U.S. decision (see Iran).

High Court 21 June acquitted leader of banned opposition party al-Wefaq, Sheikh Ali Salman, on charges related to spying for Qatar; but Salman will continue to serve four-year sentence handed down in 2014 for inciting unrest and sectarianism.

In mass trial of 138 people on terrorism-related charges, High Criminal Court 15 May revoked citizenship of 115 of which 53 were also sentenced to life in prison. Next day Amnesty International condemned move noting that revocation of citizenship turns defendants into stateless people, which violates international law. In separate trials, court 21 and 30 May revoked citizenship of nineteen more people on terrorism charges, bringing total number of revocations in 2018 to 250.