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
SEPTEMBER 29, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: DEATH SENTENCE FOR PROTESTER
Bahrain's special security court sentenced a protester to death for killing a policeman
- MAY 30, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN: CIVIL CASSATION COURT RECEIVES CASE FILE OF THE DEATH PENALTY VERDICTS
the General Secretary of Bahrain's Supreme Council of Judiciary Affairs announced that the Court of Cassation’s Technical Office received the case of the murder of two policemen to the civil General Prosecution.
- MAY 18, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN COURT ADJOURNS SHIITE DEATH SENTENCE APPEAL
a special security court in Bahrain postponed the appeal hearing of four Shiites sentenced to death for killing two policemen.
- MAY 15, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTY
APPEAL HEARING DELAYED IN BAHRAIN
a Bahraini court temporarily delayed an appeals hearing for Ali Abdullah Hassan Al Singees, Qassim Hassan Mattar Ahmad, Saeed Abdul Jalil Saeed and Abdul Aziz Abdul Rida Ebrahim Hussain.
- MAY 5, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTY
UN CRITICISES BAHRAIN'S DEATH SENTENCES, TRIAL OF DOCTORS
the UN high commissioner for human rights decried Bahrain's imposition of death sentences on anti- government protesters.
- MAY 2, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN: SET ASIDE MARTIAL LAW DEATH SENTENCES
Bahraini authorities should set aside a military court ruling on April 28, 2011...
APRIL 28, 2011BahrainDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: FOUR PROTESTERS SENTENCED TO DEATH
A Bahraini military court sentenced four men to death for killing two police officers during
- JANUARY 1, 2011BahrainDEATH 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
- JULY 8, 2010BangladeshDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN: BANGLADESHI NATIONAL EXECUTED
Jassim Abdulmanan, a Bangladeshi national sentenced to death in Bahrain for murder, was executed, The Gulf Daily News reported.
MARCH 23, 2010BangladeshDEATH PENALTYBAHRAIN: DEATH SENTENCE FOR MURDER
male prostitute Russell Mezan, 26, from Bangladesh, was sentenced to death by the
- JANUARY 1, 2010BahrainDEATH 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
- DECEMBER 9, 2009BahrainDEATH PENALTY
BAHRAIN: KING SHOULD HALT EXECUTION
Bahrain's king, Shaikh Hamad Bin Isa al-Khalifa, should halt plans to execute Bangladeshi Jassim Abdulmanan for killing a man in 2005, Human Rights Watch said.