Shia Rights Watch issues its monthly report highlighting the most prominent human rights violations committed against Shia Muslims from September 1, 2026 – October 1, 2026.
This report details various terrorist operations carried out by extremist groups against Shia Muslims, as well as instances of oppression and abuse by certain governments and regimes.
SRW relied on both its own sources and public sources, such as individuals and human rights groups active in the countries where violations occurred.
SRW notes that it refrained from mentioning some violations due to the absence of conclusive evidence, despite being certain of their occurrence in some countries, emphasizing that it does not seek political or profit goals in its work, but rather aims to achieve justice and equality aspired to by human societies.
Countries (Alphabetically):
Afghanistan
09/04/2026 Twelve Women Reportedly Detained in Herat: Local sources in Herat reported that Taliban personnel detained twelve women in the Jebrael area and near the entrance to the Herat Industrial City. According to the reports, the women were taken to an undisclosed location.
09/06/2026 Radio Station Taken Off the Air in Kabul: Security authorities in Kabul reportedly closed the offices of Sawt al-Islah Radio and halted its broadcasts. The office was subsequently sealed.
09/06/2026 Rah-e-Farda Television Office Closed in Kabul: Security authorities reportedly closed the office of the privately operated Rah-e-Farda television station in Kabul. The office is located near the Public Relations Office of Hazara and Shia Elders in western Kabul.
09/06/2026 Public Relations Office Closed in Kabul: Security forces reportedly surrounded the Public Relations Office of Hazara and Shia Elders in Kabul and detained Sayed Sufi Gardizi, the head of the office; Sayed Hassan Sharif Balkhabi and Mohammad Hussain Sangardost, both former members of parliament; as well as two guards, three visitors, and the organization’s cook.
09/07/2026 Khatam al-Nabiyyin Seminary Building and Property Seized: Security authorities in Kabul reportedly entered the Shia Khatam al-Nabiyyin religious seminary, ordered those present to leave, and announced the seizure of the building and its contents.
09/12/2026 Women Detained in Kabul: Forces affiliated with the Taliban reportedly detained at least eight women in the Taimani area of Kabul, according to an eyewitness
09/13/2026 Senior Members of the Shia High Council Detained in Kabul: Security forces reportedly detained several senior members of Afghanistan’s Shia High Council from its headquarters in the Karte Char area of Kabul.
Sources identified several of those reportedly detained as the council’s chairman, Mohammad Ali Akhlaqi; council member and former member of parliament Sayed Nader Shah Bahr; council member Mohammad Amir Bazel; cleric and council member Sayed Mohsen Hussaini; and council member Sayed Abdullah Hashemi.
09/22/2026 Shia Religious Complex Closed in Dasht-e-Barchi: Security authorities reportedly entered and closed the Khatam al-Anbiya complex in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of Kabul. The Shia cultural and religious center was closed, and its director, Sayed Hassan Fazelzada, was reportedly detained.
09/27/2026 Eight Women Detained in Herat: Security authorities reportedly detained at least eight women in the Jebrael area and took them to an undisclosed location.
09/28/2026 Health Center Closed in Western Kabul: Security authorities reportedly closed the Al-Zahra Health Center in the Dasht-e-Barchi area of western Kabul. Patients and staff were ordered to leave, after which authorities reportedly took control of the building and confiscated its contents.
Pakistan
09/18/2026 Dozens Killed or Injured in Suicide Bombing: A suicide attacker reportedly targeted a prayer hall associated with a police facility in the Kohat area, resulting in more than fifty worshippers being killed or injured.
Bahrain
09/01/2026 Allegations of Torture and Mistreatment of Minors in Jau Prison: Human rights sources reported serious violations against dozens of detained minors by guards at Jau Prison, including allegations of torture, solitary confinement, and sustained psychological pressure over several days.
According to accounts reportedly obtained from inside the prison, detainees were subjected to severe beatings on an almost daily basis and were directly sprayed with pepper spray inside their cells, reportedly in view of security surveillance cameras.
09/07/2026 Three Young Men from Nuwaidrat Detained: Security authorities reportedly detained three young men from the town of Nuwaidrat after they appeared at the Qudaibiya Police Station:
- Ammar Yasser
- Mohammad Jawad
- Hassan Arafat
09/09/2026 Elderly Protester Sentenced to Prison: A Bahraini court reportedly sentenced Hajj Mohammad al-Singace to three months in prison in connection with his individual protest demanding the right to return to his employment.
09/09/2026 Cleric Sentenced to One Year in Prison: The Lower Criminal Court reportedly sentenced Sheikh Abdulnabi al-Nashaba to one year in prison and ordered the confiscation of his mobile phone.
09/10/2026 Arrest Campaign Targets Former Detainees: Security authorities reportedly conducted a series of arrests involving several previously released detainees. Those identified include:
- Nasser Sadiq, from Nuwaidrat
- Mohammad Jawad, from Nuwaidrat
- Hassan Arafat, from Nuwaidrat
- Ammar Yasser, from Nuwaidrat
09/15/2026 Prison Sentences Issued Against Several Detainees: Bahraini courts reportedly issued prison sentences and fines against a number of detainees in cases involving political charges. Those identified include:
- Ahmed Jalal — one year in prison
- Sayed Hassan Aziz — six months in prison
- Hussein Asaad al-Mahfouz — three years in prison
- Sayed Mohammad Ahmed — three years in prison
- Amin Redha — six months in prison
- Sayed Ali Hussein — three years in prison and a fine of BHD 100,000
- Shia religious speaker Sheikh Jassim al-Haddad — one year in prison
- Redha Khalid Khamis — five years in prison and a fine of BHD 2,000
09/17/2026 – 15-Year-Old Boy Detained in Al-Dair: Security forces reportedly detained 15-year-old Yousif al-Muhandis, a resident of Al-Dair, following a pre-dawn raid on his home.
09/18/2026 Young Men from Diraz Detained: Security forces reportedly detained several young men from Diraz, including:
- Ali al-Ajmi
- Ahmed Hassan
- Mohammad Hisham
09/22/2026 Young Man from Abu Saiba Detained: Security authorities reportedly detained Hussein Ali Hilal, a resident of Abu Saiba, following a raid on his home.
09/22/2026 Young Man from Sitra Island Detained: Security authorities reportedly detained Mohammad Kazem al-Makina, a resident of Markuban on Sitra Island.
09/23/2026 Several Young Men Detained: Security forces reportedly detained several young men from different areas, including:
- Hassan Ali Ahmed, from Ras Rumman
- Mahdi al-Ali, from Al-Markh
- Mohammad Hassan, from Diraz
09/25/2026 Arrest Campaign Targets Several Young Men: Security forces reportedly conducted an arrest campaign involving several individuals, including:
- Hassan Hussein al-Gharbal, from Diraz
- Musa Sadiq, age 16, from Diraz
- Mahmoud Mohammad al-Asfour, from Diraz
09/28/2026 — 19-Year-Old from Diraz Detained: Security authorities reportedly detained 19-year-old Hassan Habib, a resident of Diraz, after he was summoned for questioning at Budaiya Police Station.
09/29/2026 Young Man from Abu Quwa Detained: Security authorities reportedly detained Ibrahim Tariq Abdulnabi, a resident of Abu Quwa.
09/29/2026 Prison Sentences Issued: A Bahraini court reportedly issued prison sentences against several detainees:
- Bassem Mohammad al-Hallal, from Sitra Island — three years in prison and a BHD 500 fine
- Hassan Fadel al-Bahhar, from Sitra Island — three years in prison and a BHD 500 fine
- Brothers Hajj Ahmed al-Najjar and Hajj Mohammad al-Najjar, from Sanabis — five years in prison and a BHD 2,000 fine
- Ali Adel Abbas, from Ma’ameer — one year in prison
Syria
09/05/2026 Young Man Killed in Al-Qabu: An armed group reportedly entered a poultry farm in the Al-Qabu area of Homs and killed Suleiman Kamel Salem.
09/05/2026 Detainee Reportedly Dies Following Torture in Adra Prison: The family of detainee Ali Samer al-Qawzi, from Qardaha, reportedly received notification of his death in Adra Prison following alleged torture over a period of several months.
09/07/2026 Body of Young Man Found in Masyaf: Residents of Kafr Kamrah village in the Masyaf area reportedly discovered the body of Ghiyath Nawfal Suleiman. The body reportedly showed signs of gunshot wounds.
09/07/2026 — 19-Year-Old Woman Abducted in Jableh: An armed group reportedly abducted 19-year-old Raghad Mohammad Badour while she was at a bus station in Jableh.
09/07/2026 One Killed and Another Injured in Tal Sikin: An armed group reportedly opened fire on residents of Tal Sikin village in the Hama countryside, killing Ahmed Omran and seriously injuring an elderly man identified as Nasser Saud.
09/07/2026 Two Brothers Seriously Injured in Masyaf Countryside: An armed group reportedly opened fire on brothers Ali and Mohsen Dardari while they were on their agricultural land in the Masyaf countryside. Both sustained serious injuries and were transported to a hospital.
09/09/2026 Father and Son Injured in Latakia: An armed group reportedly opened fire on residents of Al-Shir village in Latakia, injuring a father and his son. Both were reportedly transported to a hospital.
09/16/2026 Cleric Detained in Bisin: Security forces reportedly detained Sheikh Asif Behzad al-Ali, a cleric from the town of Bisin in Hama.
09/17/2026 Reported Coordinated Displacement from Jbourin: Armed groups reportedly allied with certain tribal elements displaced residents of Jbourin village and seized their agricultural land. Reports alleged that security authorities failed to intervene.
09/18/2026 Woman Abducted in Salamiyah: An armed group reportedly abducted Rahaf Nayef Balloul, a resident of Tal Qata village, while she was in the city of Salamiyah.
09/19/2026 Two Residents of Tal Sikin Seriously Injured: An armed group reportedly opened fire on Ali Ahmed al-Darwish and Rabie Abbas, residents of Tal Sikin village in Hama, seriously injuring both men.
09/21/2026 Raid and Arrests in Fahil Village: Security authorities reportedly raided Fahil village, where several male residents were subjected to arrests and physical assaults.
09/21/2026 Woman from Talkalakh Abducted: An armed group reportedly abducted Baraa Mahmoud al-Hassan from the Talkalakh area.
09/22/2026 Two Sisters Abducted from Humaymah Village: An armed group reportedly abducted sisters Amira Daniel Khansa, age 19, and Reem Daniel Khansa, age 16, from Humaymah village in Homs.
09/23/2026 Two Young Men Killed in Tal Sikin: An armed group reportedly entered Tal Sikin village and opened fire on residents, killing Ali Fares and Ghassan Darwish
09/24/2026 Religious Figure Detained in Homs: Security authorities reportedly detained Mohammad Bilal al-Ali, caretaker of the Sheikh Mohammad al-Bourdi shrine in Safar village, Homs.
09/24/2026 Body of Missing Young Man Found in Latakia: Approximately six weeks after his disappearance, the body of Ghaith Barhoum was reportedly found on the roadside in the Al-Jumayzah area of Latakia. The body reportedly showed signs of gunshot wounds.
09/30/2026 Passengers Killed and Injured in Bus Attack: An armed group reportedly opened fire on a passenger bus carrying residents of Fahil village in Homs, resulting in an unspecified number of passengers being killed and injured.
Saudi Arabia
09/05/2026 Qatif Resident Detained: Security authorities reportedly detained Hajj Zuhair al-Sadiq, a resident of Al-Rabiyah in the Qatif region.