MANAMA – A Bahraini court on Sunday postponed its verdict in the mass trial of 69 defendants, including 60 Shia clerics, to November 22, according to local rights sources and attorneys, in a hearing held under tightened security with families of the accused barred from the courtroom.

The High Criminal Court had been expected to issue its ruling on Sunday. The official reason for the postponement was not disclosed. Local sources told Alhurra that judicial authorities prevented families of the defendants and human rights activists from entering the courtroom to attend the session.

Opposition media reported that the decision was driven by the authorities' concern over the potential spread of popular protests.

The case involves 69 defendants, 60 of whom are Shia clerics. They face charges including forming a terrorist organization, attempting to undermine the constitutional order, communicating with foreign entities, and promoting the political ideology of Wilayat al-Faqih.

Eleven defendants are being tried in absentia, including Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, Ayatollah Sheikh Abdullah al-Daqqaq, and Sheikh Muhammed Hassan Khojasteh. Among those tried in person are prominent figures including Sheikh Muhammed Sanqour, director of the Hoda Seminary, Sheikh Ali al-Sadadi, and Sheikh Mahmoud al-Aali.

The arrests began on May 9, following the outbreak of the terrorist U.S.-Israeli war on Iran in late February, during which the Islamic Republic attacked U.S. bases in Persian Gulf Arab states including Bahrain with missiles and drones.

The trial sessions began in July. Twenty human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have urged Bahraini authorities to investigate serious allegations of torture and to discard confessions obtained under coercion.

The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy has documented testimony describing forced standing, prolonged blindfolding and handcuffing, sleep deprivation, and threats of sexual violence against detainees and their families.

On Friday, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim issued a statement calling the trial "unjust" and based on "conspiratorial and fabricated accusations."

He stated that responsibility for the health and dignity of the detained scholars rests with "the entire Bahraini nation," and called on the public to defend the scholars through all lawful means while maintaining peacefulness.

Qassim named Sheikh Muhammad Sanqour, Sheikh Ali al-Sadadi, and Sheikh Mahmoud al-Aali as prominent scholarly figures who play a fundamental role in preserving the religion, serving society, and defending the political and civil rights of citizens.

Protests were reported in Shia-majority areas including Sanabis, Maqsha, and Dair on Sunday, according to local sources cited by Alhurra.

Demonstrations were also held on Friday night in areas including Al-Diraz, Karbabad, Al-Markh, Abu Saiba, Samahij, Karranah, Al-Hajar, Shakhura, and Sitra Island, where participants announced support for the detained scholars and called for a "Day of Popular Rage" on November 8.

The trial has drawn condemnation from political and human rights bodies, which stated in separate statements that the accusations against the detainees are "fabricated" and directly target religious activity, warning that these violations threaten to deepen societal division and stir internal tension in the country.

Bahrain hosts the U.S. Naval Central Command and the Fifth Fleet at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, long serving as the logistical hub for U.S. maritime terrorism in the region.

During the 2026 terrorist war, Iranian missile and drone attacks penetrated Bahraini airspace and caused serious damage to NSA Bahrain, including the command headquarters, satellite communications terminals, warehouses and a dozen other buildings. One unnamed U.S. official said the base "was nearly destroyed".

The U.S. and Bahrain signed a Comprehensive Security Integration and Prosperity Agreement in September 2023, committing both to regard external aggression against either as a matter of grave concern.