Bahraini Opposition:

Any Move against Sheikh Qassim to Have Serious Consequences

Rasa - The deputy secretary general of al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Bahrain’s main opposition group, warned the ruling Al Khalifa regime that any steps against Sheikh Isa Qassim, the country’s top Shiite cleric, will have serious consequences.

News ID: 427777

Date: 01 March 2017 - 19:31

RNA - In a post on his Tweeter page, Sheikh Hussein al-Daihi described Sheikh Qassim, the spiritual leader of Bahrain’s Shiite majority, as a redline for the people, saying that repercussions of any move against him would go beyond Bahrain’s borders.

He added that Sheikh Qassim’s courageous and steadfast stances on pursuing the oppressed Bahraini nation’s legitimate rights are the reason why the regime has been targeting him.

Al-Daihi further called on the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and put an end to the Al Khalifa’s oppression of the Bahraini nation.

Manama on Monday postponed the trial of Sheikh Qassim until March 14, as the supporters of the prominent cleric continued a sit-in outside his house in the restive village of Diraz.

The trial session of Sheikh Qassim had been scheduled on Monday, February 27, but was adjourned until March 14 after the prominent cleric refused to appear in court.

It came as dozens of supporters of Sheikh Qassim continued their sit-in in front of the house of the cleric in Diraz, west of Manama.

People also staged demonstrations in other cities across the Persian Gulf country on the weekend in solidarity with the top Shiite cleric.

Manama announced on June 20, 2016, that it had revoked the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim. The regime later said it would put the senior cleric on trial on charges of “illegal fund collections, money laundering and helping terrorism”.

Sheikh Qassim’s previous trials had also been postponed after the prominent cleric did not appear in court.

Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.

Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.

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