Bahrain
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- constitutional monarchy
- CONSTITUTION
- February 14, 2002; amended in 2012, 2017
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- mixed legal system of Islamic law (sharia), English common law, Egyptian civil, criminal, and commercial codes; customary law; has not submitted a declaration of jurisdiction to the ICJ
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral legislature composed of the Consultative Council and the Council of Representatives (House of Deputies)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Court of Cassation (composed of the president and 3 judges); Supreme Court of Appeal (composed of the president and 3 judges); Constitutional Court (composed of the president and 6 members); High Sharia Appeal Court (court sessions include the president and at least one judge); High civil appeal courts; intermediate and lower civil courts; High Sharia Appeal Court; High Sharia Court; Administrative Appeal Courts; military courts
RELIGIONS
Muslim 73.7%, Christian 9.3%, Jewish 0.1%, other 16.9% (estimate 2017)
From the country
JUNE 25, 2014BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: DEATH PENALTY FOR MURDERER
A Bahraini was sentenced to death for the vicious murder of a 20-year-old fugitive who allegedly posed as
FEBRUARY 19, 2014BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: PROTESTER SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Bahrain court sentenced a protester to death and jailed six others for life after they were convicted of
- JANUARY 1, 2014BahrainDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must
AUGUST 1, 2013BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN INCREASES PUNISHMENT FOR TERROR ACTS TO DEATH PENALTY
Bahrain's King Hamad has decreed stiffer penalties for "terror acts" in the country rocked
JANUARY 23, 2013BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS SENTENCES OVER POLICE MURDER
A Bahraini appeals court upheld a death sentence and a life-term respectively passed
- JANUARY 1, 2013BahrainDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must
- DECEMBER 26, 2012BahrainDEATH PENALTY
a Bahraini appeals court overturned death and prison sentences...
a Bahraini appeals court overturned death and prison sentences...
SEPTEMBER 19, 2012BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN AGREES TO VAST MAJORITY OF UN RIGHTS RECOMMENDATIONS, REJECTS DEATH PENALTY OVERHAUL
Bahrain’s foreign minister says the government has agreed to ease its treatment of political activists
- MARCH 13, 2012BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDER
A Bahraini was sentenced to death for killing his wife in a brutal attack in the couple's home, in
- JANUARY 9, 2012BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN: CASSATION COURT OVERTURNS DEATH TERMS OF TWO SHIITES
Bahrain's cassation court annulled the death sentences of two Shiites and the life imprisonment
- JANUARY 1, 2012BahrainDEATH PENALTY
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are
The offences for which capital punishment either can or must be applied are
- NOVEMBER 28, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN POSTPONES PROTESTERS' DEATH PENALTY APPEAL
a civilian court in Bahrain postponed a highly anticipated ruling on the appeal of two protesters sentenced to death by a security court during a wave of anti-government protests earlier this year.