Khalil Buhazaa, a Bahraini blogger and journalist who has worked for several Bahraini media outlets over the years, was arrested on May 3, 2026, without any official explanation, according to a Bahraini human rights organization, Al Amal Center for Human Rights and Justice, and the local press freedom group, Bahrain Press Association.
Media outlets and press freedom groups reported that Buhazaa was interrogated about his blogging activity and his posts on X. In one post, he wrote that "laws and institutions are in freefall." CPJ could not independently confirm the reasons for his arrest or the charges he is accused of.
Buhazaa previously worked as a journalist for Al-Waqt, an independent Bahraini Arabic-language daily newspaper that was forced to shut down due to a lack of funding. He also wrote for the Bahraini outlet Al-Wasat, which authorities banned from publishing in 2017. He continued his reporting and commentary through his personal blog and X account.
In his most recent post on X before his arrest, he reposted a CNN investigation revealing damage sustained by US military bases in the Middle East as a result of Iranian attacks.
His arrest comes amid a broader wave of detentions and restrictions on expression in Bahrain and across the Gulf during the Iran war.
On March 4, Bahrain's Defense Force banned the filming, photographing, or sharing of any military operations, movements, or sites, as well as related content on social media, citing national security concerns, and warned that violations could result in legal action.
Later on April 28, Bahraini photographer Sayed Baqer Al-Kamel was handed a 10-year prison sentence after reportedly posting a video of the aftermath of an Iranian attack on the Gulf nation.
CPJ emailed the Bahraini embassy in Washington but did not receive a response at the time of publication.