Bahrain sentences five to life for spying for Iran's Revolutionary Guard

The High Criminal Court of Bahrain has sentenced five individuals to life imprisonment after convicting them of espionage for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to a statement released on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, the defendants were found guilty of collaborating with a foreign entity to destabilize the kingdom's security and sovereignty, News.Az reports, citing Voice of Emirates. 

Investigations by the National Intelligence Service revealed that the group had been recruited to monitor vital strategic sites and sensitive security installations across Bahrain.

The court heard that the defendants used high-resolution imaging equipment to record the coordinates of these locations and transmitted the data to their handlers in Iran via encrypted software. Additionally, the suspects were tasked with documenting the aftermath of hostile drone and missile strikes to help the IRGC assess the damage of their operations.

The Public Prosecution stated that the group’s activities were aimed at facilitating "terrorist plots" and undermining the state's economic and security institutions. While five of the defendants are now in custody, authorities noted that a sixth suspect remains a fugitive abroad. This ruling comes amid heightened regional tensions and follows previous reports of Iranian-linked attempts to target civilian infrastructure within the kingdom.

News.Az 

By Leyla Şirinova