Bahrain’s Top Shiite Cleric Stresses Continuation of Peaceful Resistance
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Bahrain’s prominent Shiite cleric Ayatollah Sheikh Issa Ahmed Qassem underlined that the country’s resistance movement will remain peaceful.
Addressing worshippers at Imam Sadeq Mosque in the capital, Manama, on Friday, Ayatollah Qassem reiterated that Bahrain’s popular movement should remain on the peaceful path.
“We should resist against tough challenges with strength and (defend) the truth steadfastly," the senior cleric added.
Ayatollah Qassem’s comments came a few days after his house was raided by security forces.
Bahraini regime’s security forces raided the house on Monday. Witnesses say regime forces even took photos of the ID cards of everyone who was inside the house in Diraz, west of Manama.
After Friday prayers, Bahraini worshippers held rallies in Manama to express their solidarity with the prominent Shiite cleric.
The raid on the top Shiite cleric’s house came after the Bahraini opposition boycotted the parliamentary elections which were held with a low turnout across the tiny kingdom.
Since mid-February 2011, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held numerous demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for political reforms.
Manama’s heavy crackdown on protesters turned people’s demands for reforms into calls for the downfall of the regime.
Bahrain has been severely criticized by human rights groups for its harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters which has claimed the lives of scores of people so far.
Ayatollah Qassem has repeatedly and openly criticized the Al Khalifa regime over its violent crackdown on anti-regime protests.
