Bahrain’s king on Sunday ordered the citizenship of 551 Bahrainis to be restored, after his country was harshly criticized by the UN and rights groups for revoking people’s nationalities, AFP reported.

State-run Bahrain News Agency said King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, who can reverse court decisions, requested that the competent authorities take into account “the nature of crimes committed.”

He has instructed the interior ministry to examine each case and prepare a list of those whose nationalities can be reinstated.

Human rights groups estimate that 990 mainly Shiite people have had their citizenship revoked since the start of judicial proceedings in 2012 against those who took part in the protests against the Bahraini government.