Bahraini Regime Sentences Sheikh Qassim to One Year in Jail
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Al Khalifa regime on Sunday declared the verdict against Sheikh Isa Qassim, the spiritual leader of the kingdom’s Shiite majority, sentencing the cleric to one year in prison, despite nationwide rallies held in solidarity with him.
A Bahraini court, in a politically motivated move, announced the verdict against Sheikh Qassim, sentencing him to one year in prison, according to local Bahraini reports.
According to the Verdict, Sheikh Qassim’s properties worth three million Bahraini dinars (near $8 million) have been confiscated. The cleric was also sentenced to pay a fine of 1,000 Bahraini dinars (about $2,650).
According to the reports, sheikh Qassim’s prison sentence was suspended for three years.
The verdict came hours after the Bahraini people from all walks of life staged anti-regime protests in various cities across the Persian Gulf country to voice their support for Sheikh Qassim.
The massive demonstrations were held across the Arab country on Saturday night.
During the rallies, the Bahraini citizens once again announced that they would defend the prominent cleric to death, according to local reports.
In March, the Bahraini court delayed the verdict in the case of Sheikh Qassim. The court had earlier set March 14 as the date to issue its ruling but adjourned its decision until May 21.
The Manama regime announced on June 20, 2016, that the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim had been revoked, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions.
The regime later said it would put the senior cleric on trial on charges of “illegal fund collections, money laundering and helping terrorism.”
