After a three-year delay, Bahraini human rights defender Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei has finally been granted British citizenship, as confirmed by a letter from the Home Office shared with Middle East Eye. The delay was linked to concerns raised by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office regarding the potential strain on UK-Bahrain relations.

Alwadaei, a torture survivor, dissident, and advocacy director at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, has been in exile since 2012. Stripped of his Bahraini nationality in 2015, he has lived with indefinite leave to remain in the UK until applying for citizenship in May 2021.

Expressing his gratitude for the decision, Alwadaei remarked that it marked the end of his statelessness and hailed it as a significant turning point in his life, made possible by the efforts of his legal team led by Daniel Carey of Deighton Pierce Glynn.

The citizenship application process, normally lasting six months, was prolonged due to governmental concerns. Alwadaei’s lawyers had issued an ultimatum to the Home Office, which eventually approved his application on 20 June.

Significant Obstacles Overcome

Internal documents revealed persistent efforts to block Alwadaei’s citizenship application, citing bilateral implications and questionable character. However, the Home Office ultimately recognized his fulfillment of all statutory requirements, leading to the granting of citizenship.

Reflecting on the decision, Daniel Carey emphasized the victory while calling attention to the government’s improper considerations. He questioned the delay caused by alleged Bahrain government sensitivities and underscored the importance of upholding legal standards in such cases.