Bahrain Hit by General Strike on Revolution Anniversary (+Photos)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Bahraini people on Saturday held nationwide strikes for the third consecutive day to voice their outrage over the Al Khalifa regime’s human rights violations and crackdown on dissent on the anniversary of the Persian Gulf country’s revolution.
The general strike, started on Wednesday, February 11, at 8 p.m. (local time) and will continue today as Bahrainis are marking the fourth anniversary of their February 14 revolution.
According to media reports, security forces once again on Saturday fired tear gas and birdshot to disperse protesters in Sitra, northeast of the Bahraini capital of Manama.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Friday, the representative of prominent Shiite cleric Ayatollah Sheikh Issa Ahmed Qassem in Iran said that the Bahraini revolution is not facing a single regime.
“We are facing big challenges,” he said, “Bahrain’s revolution is not facing a single regime, for example, the Tunisian revolution was facing only the regime of Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.”
“Our revolution is confronted by the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which is composed of six countries supported by the Britain and the US,” he added.
The uprising in Bahrain began on February 14, 2011. Protesters initially called for political reforms and a constitutional monarchy. However, the demand later changed to an outright call for the ouster of the Al Khalifa family following its brutal crackdown on popular protests.
Scores of people have been killed in the crackdown and security forces have arrested hundreds including doctors and nurses. Dozens of demonstrators have also been sentenced to jail terms for attending street protests.
International human rights organizations have repeatedly criticized the Manama regime for its excessive use of force against peaceful protesters.