News / Persian Gulf

Bahraini regime forces attack pro-democracy demonstrators

Monday, 15 January 2018 6:18 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 15 January 2018 6:41 PM ]

Bahraini protesters participate in an anti-regime rally in the island of Sitra on January 15, 2018.

Bahraini regime forces have engaged in clashes with separate groups of people protesting against the Al Khalifah regime’s ferocious crackdown on political dissidents and pro-democracy activists in the kingdom and commemorating three Shia activists executed last year.

Dozens of people took to the streets in the island of Sitra, located five kilometers south of the capital Manama, on Monday evening, holding up pictures of Abbas al-Samea, 27, Sami Mushaima, 42, and Ali al-Singace, 21, whom were executed by firing squad on January 15, 2017.

Regime forces then intervened and fired stun grenades and tear gas canisters to disperse the crowd. There were no reports of casualties or arrests.

On January 9 last year, Bahrain’s Court of Cassation upheld the death penalties given to the three activists over allegations of killing a member of Emirati forces, who had been assisting Manama in its suppression of Bahraini protesters in the northern village of al-Daih back in March 2014.

Seven other convicts were also been sentenced to life in prison in the case. The defendants denied the charges.

From left to right: Abbas al-Samea, 27, Ali al-Singace, 21, and Sami Mushaima, 42

Also on Monday, protesters set tires ablaze and blocked roads in the northern villages of al-Daih and al-Musalla as well as Jidhafs city, situated about 3 kilometers west of Manama.

Similar anti-regime protest was staged in Sanabis village, which lies in the suburbs of the capital, as well as Karzakan village.

Thousands of anti-regime protesters have been holding demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011.

They are demanding that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

Bahraini protesters participate in an anti-regime rally in the village of Karzakan on January 15, 2018.

Manama has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent. On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to assist Bahrain in its crackdown.

Scores of people have lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got arrested as a result of the Al Khalifah regime’s crackdown.

On March 5, 2017, Bahrain’s parliament approved the trial of civilians at military tribunals in a measure blasted by human rights campaigners as being tantamount to imposition of an undeclared martial law countrywide.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah ratified the constitutional amendment a month later.

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