Al Khalifa Crackdown: Bahrainis Challenge Regime Ban on Observing Friday Prayer

Local Editor

Amidst the series of crackdowns by the brutal Al Khalifa regime, Manama once again banned the Bahraini people from observing Friday prayer in Dizar.

However, Bahrainis had challenged the six-week regime ban and demonstrated against the restrictions imposed by the authorities and performed the key religious duty.

Sayyed Mohsen Ghorayfe managed to enter Diraz and led the prayer at Imam Sadeq [AS] mosque, asserting that the move seeks the national interests.

"We all aim at attaining this country's benevolence, and we reject what inflicts damage and evil upon it," his eminence said.

Sayyed Ghorayfe demanded that the authorities protect the religious positions and undo their decisions against the clerics and all the loyal for the sake of the national interests.

For his part, a senior Bahraini writer and media activist slammed the Al Khalifa regime's ban, saying that the move is indicative of the regime's "depth of desperation" in the face of the people.

Abbas Bousafwan told Tasnim news agency, "It's unfortunate that instead of speaking about freedom of expression, elections or other civil liberties in Bahrain, we should talk about [the people's] right to hold Friday Prayers."

"Undoubtedly, the Al Khalifa regime's move to ban Friday prayers indicates the depth of the regime's desperation in the face of the people," the activist added.

He went on to say that the move will strengthen the resolve of the people and Sheikh Isa Qassim, the spiritual leader of the Bahraini Shiites, to continue their sit-in protests.

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

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

Amnesty International and many other international rights organizations had frequently censured the Bahraini regime for the rampant human rights abuses against opposition groups and anti-regime protesters.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team