The United States and United Kingdom should take “tougher measures” against Bahrain argued the Financial Times View this week, following the decision to strip the country’s most prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim of his citizenship.

In a piece entitled “Bahrain crackdown fans the sectarian flames”, the Financial Times stated the move, alongside preventing activists from attending the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, “together constitute the most significant assault on civil society and the moderate opposition since Saudi troops crossed into Bahrain in 2011 to help crush protests inspired by the Arab spring”.

“Since then, the regime has at times launched attempts at a peaceful solution and made promises of political reform,” it added. “But Bahrain’s allies in London and Washington cannot with honesty speak now of progress. To do so smacks of appeasement.”

See more extracts from the piece below. See the full piece here.

“Bahrain, which hosts the US fifth fleet, is a decadent autocracy that Philip Hammond, Britain’s foreign secretary, this year said was “travelling in the right direction” on human rights and political reforms. That was not true then. It looks even less so now.”

“The disturbing turn of events threaten Bahrain’s long-term stability. That should worry Washington and London. The UK wants to avoid jeopardising a recent deal for the expansion of an existing naval base that is being financed by the Bahraini government. American officials have also long argued that a policy of engagement tempers hardliners within the regime and encourages reform. Clearly this is not the case.”

“Washington should reimpose the ban on arms sales to Bahrain lifted last year. The UK should follow suit. Mere statements of concern are deeply unconvincing. The time has come for tougher measures.”