2. Case Studies of Stateless
Individuals in Bahrain
Identity is defined as “ a person’s sense of self, formed by their distinct qualities, associations,
and social duties.” Furthermore, identity has continuity since one perceives oneself as the
same person throughout time despite significant changes in one’s surroundings. The legal
meaning of identification is that a person or object is exactly as it claims to be. 9 The definition
of Belonging is “A feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group and having
a good relationship with the other members of the group because they welcome you and
accept you. A sense of belonging is one of humanity’s most basic needs”. 10 This chapter
demonstrates the findings of case studies and interviews with individuals who were born
stateless in Bahrain due to ethnic discrimination since all the individuals were of Persian
descent. This chapter will exhibit the findings of interviews with individuals whose citizenship
has been revoked by the King, the Government, or the Court for political reasons.
The interviews investigate how the revocation of nationality undermines their activism and
limits their pro-democracy and opponent activity. The interview focuses on the social and
cultural dimensions of their stateless position, including how it impacts their identity and
belonging, as well as their interactions with their communities in Bahrain and exile.
2.1 Dr Abdula Hadi Khalaf (An Individual whose Bahraini Nationality
was revoked by the Ministry of Interior.)
Abdulhadi Khalaf, a former member of Bahrain’s Parliament and currently a senior lecturer in
the sociology department at Lund University in Sweden, was deprived of his citizenship on
November 6. He is one of 31 Bahraini citizens stripped of citizenship on the same day. Dr.
Khalaf was not told of the proceedings (instead, he learned about them through the news
media), and so had no opportunity to react to the allegations against him. Dr. Khalaf has been
an outspoken opponent of Bahrain’s leadership for many years. He presently lives and
maintains citizenship in Sweden. In a semi-structured online interview through email with
Dr.Abdulhadi Khalaf, Khalaf asked if the revocation of his nationality had affected his identity.
Khalaf underlined that this had neither detrimental nor impact on his awareness of the
significance of the roots that bind him to Bahrain, particularly the families he is related to and
the individuals he knows. Khalaf concluded that the passport (nationality) is significant but
does not give you identity, nor does it define the depth and limitations of your sense of
belonging. Instead, it is an official document that permits you to exercise fundamental rights,
including the right to travel.11
9 Bilgrami, A. (2006). Notes toward the Definition of›Identity›. Daedalus, 135(4), 514-.
10 Leach, N. (2003). Belonging. AA Files, (49), 7682-.
11 Interview with DR Abdul Hadi Khalaf, The File is with the Author, the interview was conducted on July 15, 2024.
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