Bahrain Crackdown: 3 Shia Clerics Sentenced to Death, 8 Others to Life Imprisonment
Local Editor
As the Bahraini regime continues its crackdown on peaceful activists and members of the religious community, it handed down death sentences to three Shia clerics and condemned eight others to life imprisonment.
In this regard, the kingdom's dissolved main opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, announced in a statement that Shia religious figures are being systematically subjected to arbitrary arrests, torture, trials, revocation of citizenship and forced deportation.
The statement added that al-Wefaq recorded more than 347 cases of arrests, summons and various security prosecutions of Shia clerics in Bahrain.
It added that Bahraini security authorities have summoned more than 156 Shia clergymen over their speeches, ideological tendencies or political views. They have also arrested 99 religious scholars arbitrarily.
Al-Wefaq further noted that "harsh and unfair verdicts" targeted more than 50 clerics, ranging from hefty fines and abolition nationality to life imprisonment and death penalty.
The statement added that three Shia scholars have been sentenced to death, eight to life imprisonment and a number of others been stripped of their citizenship.
Among those whose nationality has been revoked are prominent Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qassim and Sheikh Hussein Najati.
Thousands of anti-regime protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011.
They are demanding that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.
Manama has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent. On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to assist Bahrain in its crackdown.
Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of the Al Khalifah regime's crackdown.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
Comments
- Related News
