Iraqis protest in support of leading Bahraini cleric
People have held demonstrations in the Iraqi cities of Basrah and Baghdad to express solidarity with Bahrain’s prominent Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, who was recently stripped of his citizenship by the Al Khalifah regime.
Hundreds of residents of Basrah gathered near the governorate building on Friday to denounce Manama’s removal of Sheikh Qassim’s nationality, the Arabic-language al-Sumaria news website reported.
Elsewhere, hundreds of supporters of senior Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr held a protest outside the Bahraini embassy in the Mansour district of the capital, Baghdad.
They chanted slogans in condemnation of Sheikh Qassim’s citizenship repeal.
Iraqi security forces cordoned off the Mansour district and closed the nearby bridges of Jadriya and Shuhada.
Also on Friday, Bahrain summoned the Iraqi ambassador to Manama, Ahmed Naif Rashid al-Dulaimi.
On June 20, Manama revoked the nationality of the clergyman, with Bahrain’s Interior Ministry accusing him of seeking the “creation of a sectarian environment” through his connections with foreign powers.
The latest move by the Bahraini regime against Sheikh Qassim came less than a week after the Justice Ministry suspended all activities of al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the main opposition group in the country.
The kingdom also dissolved two other opposition groups, namely al-Tawiya and al-Risala Islamic associations.
The developments have raised fears of further unrest in the tiny Persian Gulf country, which has been witnessing regular anti-regime demonstrations since mid-February 2011.
The Al Khalifah regime is engaged in a harsh crackdown on dissent and widespread discrimination against the country’s Shia majority. Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in the island state, which is a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region.
Iraqi PM warns over attacks on Syria as Blinken visits Baghdad
'Iraq ready to thwart any hostile plot after Assad’s fall'
Iran warns threat of armed groups ‘not limited’ to Syria, says neighbors at risk
Iran’s economy grew 2.7% y/y in Sep quarter: CBI
VIDEO | Freelancers in Gaza strive to stay online amid genocide
Mikati demands Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon
Yemeni army strikes Israeli military sites with drones
‘Clock ticking’: UNRWA slams unjustifiable killing of children in Gaza
BP to be sued in Britain for supplying oil to Israel
VIDEO | Press TV's news headlines
Israeli strikes on north Gaza hospital ‘extremely dangerous, terrifying’: Director
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
