Tehran: The High Council for Human Rights (HCHR) of Iran has strongly condemned Bahrain's decision to revoke the citizenship of 69 Bahraini nationals, describing the move as illegal, arbitrary, and a clear violation of human rights principles. In a statement released on Sunday, the HCHR said the measure amounted to 'collective punishment' and an 'extrajudicial penalty' that cannot be justified under any civilized legal system. According to Islamic Republic News Agency, credible reports indicate that those stripped of citizenship include clerics, eulogists, social activists, women, men, and even children and infants. The statement noted that the individuals were deprived of their nationality without judicial procedures, legal investigations, or court rulings, and solely based on an order issued by the Bahraini king. The statement stressed that the right to nationality is one of the most fundamental rights recognized under international law. Referring to Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights , the headquarters emphasized that 'no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality.' It added that Bahrain's action, particularly the inclusion of children and infants in the decision, violates the country's international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Iran's top rights body further described Bahrain's move as a form of 'forced denationalization' and 'collective punishment,' practices that have been strongly rejected by United Nations human rights mechanisms. The statement also criticized what it called repeated and unfounded accusations of 'support for Iran' or 'espionage for foreign entities,' saying such claims are being used as a pretext to suppress opposition voices and systematically violate civil rights in Bahrain. Calling on international organizations to take immediate action, the headquarters urged the United Nations human rights bodies, particularly the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Human Rights Council, the Committee on the Rights of the Child, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to officially condemn Bahrain's actions and demand the restoration of citizenship to all affected individuals, especially children and infants. The statement also expressed solidarity with the affected families and warned against the dangerous consequences of expanding such practices. It said Iran reserves the responsibility to help uphold the rights of the oppressed people. On April 27, Bahrain's Ministry of Interior announced that it had revoked the citizenship of 69 people, accusing them of sympathizing with Iran and 'colluding with foreign entities'. The move came as Iran was defending itself in the war with the United States and Israel, which had begun on February 28.