Bahraini Shi’ite leader condemns upcoming elections as “fraudulent”

Rasa - Bahraini Shi’ite leader Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qasim, the spiritual leader of the Shi’ites of Bahrain, led Friday prayers sermon this week at Imam as-Sadiq (A) Mosque in the town of Diraz. He condemned the upcoming Bahraini elections as “illegal and fraudulent.”

News ID: 940

Date: 04 July 2014 - 20:42

Rasa News Agency - Bahraini Shi’ite leader Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qasim, the spiritual leader of the Shi’ites of Bahrain, led Friday prayers sermon this week at Imam as-Sadiq (A) Mosque in the town of Diraz. He condemned the upcoming Bahraini elections as “illegal and fraudulent.”

His Eminence spoke about the upcoming parliamentary elections in Bahrain and explained that individuals and groups, both inside and outside the country, have invited the opposition to participate in the illegitimate elections to the 40-seat parliament in November 2014. The ruling Khalifah monarchy has plotted, by various means, including the use of media, in their attempt for as many people as possible to participate in the elections.

Ayatollah Qasem has called the elections “illegal and fraudelent,” saying only when elections which are appropriate and acceptable are held, wherein the candidates and the participants are equal, the opposition will participate.

The leader of Bahraini Shi’ites emphasized that the people of Bahrain want an election that will be held according to their will and rights. They call for the release of all political prisoners and the halt of all brutal and violent acts and actions which impede the holding of fair, free and just elections.

Ayatollah Qasem warned that the opponents of the Khalifah regime must not get caught up in the regime’s deceitful statements because the future parliament will undoubtedly be in the hands of House of Khalifah and not in the hands of the Bahraini nation, thus the parliament only serves to support their rule.

He called Bahrain’s system of government that of a master and slave, saying “The monarchy says, ‘I am your master and you are my slave nation. We hold the reigns of power and the people should not have any rights or views in regards to our rule.’”

The Bahraini government has placed sanctions on students, prohibitions on holding religious events, and defamation of the peoples’ religious slogans and calls for their legitimate human rights. Thus, the Khalifah regime is clearly against the Bahraini people.

Ayatollah Qasem pointed to the case of the 27-year old martyr, Abdul-Aziz al-Abbar, who’s body was released to his family only after 130 days of anguish after he was shot and injured by police officers in the head with a tear gas canister at his upper body and being hit with shotgun pellets, which struck him in the head, on February 23, 2014. This illegal practice is a clear example of the government’s continued excessive use of force against peaceful protesters. They had refused to hand over body of the martyr for burial in order to cover up their intentional and premeditated murder of the peaceful young pro-democracy protester when the family requested full details on the events leading to his martyrdom.

His Eminence said that the Bahraini military forces only confessed to having committed such a great crime after a long period of patience and strength by the family of Martyr al-Abbar.

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