More than 1,000 Bahraini citizens have sent messages of support to King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa in recent weeks, praising a clampdown on those accused of being sympathetic to Iran.
In what appears to be a well-coordinated campaign, the first cables were sent in early May, soon after the king criticized anyone supporting Iran, saying Bahrain needed to be “cleansed of every traitor.”
Since then, at least 25 tribes, more than 200 individuals, and around 840 families have joined in, including the heads of prominent local organizations such as the central bank and the Strategic Security Bureau. The messaging campaign has continued throughout the month, with the most recent cables noted by the official Bahrain News Agency on May 26.
At the same time, the crackdown continues on the regime’s perceived opponents. Three people were convicted on May 24 of supporting Iranian attacks on Bahrain and sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment. Nine others were recently given life sentences for collaborating with Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.