Bahraini Forces Shell Religious Ceremony with Tear Gas, Continue Crackdown

Local Editor

Bahraini security forces attacked on Thursday evening a local gathering intended to celebrate the occasion of Israa and Mi'raaj [ascending of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) from earth to heaven].

During the religious ceremony, the participants were surprised by shots of tear gas falling between people, what led to suffocations among men and children.

Eye witnesses explained that the regime forces took the pretext of chasing youths who burned tires in the street, to arrest two young men from inside the festival and pour shells of toxic gases at the participants.

Meanwhile, al-Wefaq opposition movement stated that the number of arrests over the past two days summed up to 21, including a pregnant woman and a child.

In five cases, the forces assaulted citizens during arrest. In one case, the arrested was a pregnant woman in her eighth month accompanied by her husband. They were both badly assaulted after they were prevented from leaving an area under security clampdown.

The couple was stopped at a security checkpoint where one security personnel spat in the woman's face and then they were both led to a police station where they were severely beaten. This caused the pregnant woman hemorrhage, why she was then taken to hospital.

In response to the regime brutality, more than 29 pro-democracy protests took to streets in different areas across Bahrain, some of which were attacked by regime forces with fire arms and toxic teargas leaving at least 7 wounded. Protests were followed by the regime's collective punishment in 8 residential areas.

In Shakhoura village, 4 cases of vandalism of private property, including doors and windows, were documented during home raids.

Source: al-Ahed, Translated by website team