Bahrain Crackdown: Regime Summons, Arrests Shia Clerics over Taking Part in Ashura Procession

By Staff, Agencies

As part of the continued clampdown against Bahrain’s Shia population, the Bahraini regime summoned twelve speakers and orators have also been summoned for investigation over taking part in Ashura occasion, the martyrdom anniversary of third Shia Imam Hussein bin Ali [AS].

Some of them have been arrested.

It has been since the start of Muharram that Bahrain’s Al Khalifah authorities have taken to attacking Ashura displays, removing religious banners and flags of mourning from various villages.

Among the summoned orators are Sheikh Abdulmohsen Al-Jamri, Sheikh Mounir Al-Maatouk, Mulla Kassim Zainuldin and Sheikh Mahmoud Al-Ojaimi. At least Al-Ojaimi and Zainuldin are still held awaiting investigation.

Since 2011, the Bahraini regime has been summoning preachers and eulogy citers and arresting them for participating in Ashura season through delivering speeches and poems.

Human rights groups say that the aim behind the summons is imposing restrictions on the practice of religious rituals for the country's Shia majority.