Bahrainis Demonstrate against Manama Regime Crackdown in Diraz

The regime troops took strict security measures in Diraz and in the vicinity of Sheikh Qassim’s house, Al-Manar reported.

The Bahraini scholars issued on Friday in which they urged the civilians to remain ready to defend themselves and their leader and to face the regime’s aggression on their religious beliefs and practices, considering that Diraz blockade targets all the nation and its religion.

On May 23, police raided Diraz, which has been under a military siege for almost a year, and stormed the home of the spiritual leader of Bahrain’s Shia majority.

At least five demonstrators were killed and dozens more injured during the crackdown which also saw more than 280 people arrested.

The fresh wave of anti-regime protests broke out on May 21, when a Bahraini court sentenced Sheikh Qassim to one year in jail and ordered him to pay $265,266 in fines.

Last year, the cleric was also stripped of his citizenship, which sparked repeated sit-ins outside his residence in Diraz.

Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held numerous demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the kingdom in early February 2011. They are demanding that the Al-Khalifah dynasty relinquish power and a just system representing all Bahrainis be established.

The Manama regime has spared no effort to clamp down on dissent and rights activists. On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to Bahrain to assist Manama in its crackdown.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others have been injured or arrested as a result of the Al-Khalifah regime’s crackdown on anti-regime activists.