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Historical Values
Year Value
1990 negligible
1991 negligible
1992 political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
1993 political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
1994 political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
1995 political parties prohibited; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
1996 political parties prohibited
1996 several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active; following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically from late 1994 to September 1995, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment
1997 political parties prohibited
1997 several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active; following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists have fomented unrest sporadically since late 1994, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment
1998 political parties prohibited
1998 several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active; following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists have fomented unrest sporadically since late 1994, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment
1999 political parties prohibited
1999 several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active; following the arrest of a popular Shi'a cleric, Shi'a activists have fomented unrest sporadically since late 1994, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment
2000 political parties prohibited
2000 Shi'a activists have fomented unrest sporadically since late 1994, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
2001 political parties prohibited
2001 Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
2002 political parties prohibited but politically oriented nongovernment organizations are allowed
2002 Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
2003 political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed
2003 Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
2004 political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed
2004 Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
2005 political parties prohibited but politically oriented societies are allowed
2005 Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97, demanding the return of an elected National Assembly and an end to unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
2006 political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
2006 Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests and marches, demanding that more power be vested in the elected Council of Representatives and that the government do more to decrease unemployment; several small, clandestine leftist and Islamic fundamentalist groups are active
2007 political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
2007 Shi'a activists fomented unrest sporadically in 1994-97 and have recently engaged in protests with occasional low-level violence; protests related to a host of issues, including the 2002 constitution, elections, unemployment, and release of detainees; Sunni Islamist legislators support a greater role for Shari'a in daily life; several small leftist and other groups are active
2008 political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
2008 Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators other: several small leftist and other groups are active
2009 political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
2009 Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators other: several small leftist and other groups are active
2010 political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
2010 Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators other: several small leftist and other groups are active
2011 political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
2011 Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators other: several small leftist and other groups are active
2012 none: note - political parties prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law
2012 Shia activists; Sunni Islamist legislators other: several small leftist and other groups are active
2013 note: political parties are prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law progovernment: Arab Islamic Center Society [Ahmad Sanad AL-BENALI] Constitutional Gathering Society Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD] Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR] Islamic Shura Society Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN] National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN] National Dialogue Society National Islamic Minbar [Ali AHMAD] National Unity Gatheri
2013 Sunni: Al-Fatih Awakening Shia: 14 February Revolution Youth Coalition Bahrain Islamic Freedom Movement [Said SHIHABI] Haqq Movement [Hasan MUSHAYMA] Islamic Amal [Muhammad Ali AL-MAHFUDH] Khalas [Abd al-Rauf AL-SHAYIB] Wafa Islamic Society [Abd al-Wahab HUSAYN]
2014 political parties are prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law progovernment: Arab Islamic Center Society [Ahmad Sanad AL-BENALI] Constitutional Gathering Society Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD] Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR] Islamic Shura Society Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN] National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN] National Dialogue Society National Islamic Minbar [Ali AHMAD] National Unity Gathering [Ab
2014 Sunni: Al-Fatih Awakening Shia: 14 February Revolution Youth Coalition Bahrain Islamic Freedom Movement [Said SHIHABI] Haqq Movement [Hasan MUSHAYMA] Islamic Amal [Muhammad Ali AL-MAHFUDH] Khalas [Abd al-Rauf AL-SHAYIB] Wafa Islamic Society [Abd al-Wahab HUSAYN]
2015 note: political parties are prohibited but political societies were legalized per a July 2005 law | Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society or Al-Wefeq [Ali SALMAN] | Arab Islamic Center Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Constitutional Gathering Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD] | Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR] | Islamic Shura Society | Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN] | National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN] |
2015 none
2016 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law | Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society or Al-Wefeq [Ali SALMAN] | Arab Islamic Center Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Constitutional Gathering Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD] | Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR] | Islamic Shura Society | Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN] | National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN]
2016 none
2017 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law | Arab Islamic Center Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Constitutional Gathering Society [Abdulrahman AL-BAKER] | Islamic Asalah [Abd al-Halim MURAD] | Islamic Saff Society [Abdullah Khalil BU GHAMAR] | Islamic Shura Society | Movement of National Justice Society [Muhi al-Din KHAN] | National Action Charter Society [Muhammad AL-BUAYNAYN] | National Democratic Action Society or Wa'ad [Fouad SEYADI]
2017 none
2018 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
2019 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
2020 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
2021 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
2022 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
2023 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
2024 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law
2025 note: political parties are prohibited, but political societies were legalized under a July 2005 law