The 761-page ''World Report 2021'' published by the ''Human Rights Watch'' in January 2021 revealed that the situation of human rights did not improve in Bahrain in 2020. It highlighted that the repression against social media activities escalated, death sentences were upheld by the courts against opposition activists after unfair trials, and the critics were continued to be prosecuted for peaceful expression. The country also increased the use of the death penalty, while it denied medical treatment to some of the prominent opposition figures being kept in detention. The ''Human Rights Watch'' said that Bahrain uses several repressive tools to silence and punish every person who dares to criticize the government.