Top Bahraini cleric renews call for immediate release of jailed political prisoners amid coronavirus pandemic

Bahrain’s most prominent cleric Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim has expressed concern over the alarming situation of healthcare in the country’s prisons and jails, renewing his call for the immediate release of political inmates in light of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

Sheikh Qassim, in a statement released on Monday, called on Bahraini protesters demanding the freedom of imprisoned opposition figures to continue their demonstrations.

“Show the world how the oppressed people stand up for their rights and never compromise on them. At the same time, they do not allow their anger and outrage to take them away from observing the norms of their religion and wisdom,” the senior cleric pointed out.

Top Bahraini cleric warns of death of political prisoners amid coronavirus pandemic

Bahrain’s most prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim has warned that political dissidents in Bahraini prisons are facing deaths and demanded their immediate release.

Sheikh Qassim, however, cautioned Bahraini demonstrators against covert attempts to hijack their protest movement and crush their demands for the release of political dissidents.

He also called for the protection of public and private property during the demonstrations.

Back on April 1, Sheikh Qassim had warned that political dissidents in Bahraini prisons are facing deaths and had demanded their immediate release.  

The senior cleric called on the ruling Al Khalifa regime at the time to choose between the deaths of the dissident inmates and their release.

“One of the worst things that the government of Bahrain does is to keep prisoners as leverage for political bargaining, especially now that the coronavirus [pandemic] is attacking [Bahrain's] prisons with full force,” the distinguished cleric highlighted.

Top Bahraini cleric cautions against death of political inmates, warns about instability

Bahrain’s most prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim has warned about the death of political dissidents in the Manama regime’s prisons and demanded their immediate release, stressing that their confinement would lead to instability in the Arab country.

On Sunday evening, protesters and relatives of Bahraini political detainees took to the streets across the Persian Gulf kingdom to demand release of their loved ones in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

The demonstrators staged rallies in multiple regions, including Sitra Island, which lies 5 kilometers south of the capital, Manama, as well as Bilad al-Qadeem suburb of Manama, and villages of Sanabis, al-Daih and Nuwaidrat, denouncing the Al Khalifah regime's blackout on the number of detainees infected with the coronavirus.

#البحرين_اليوم| صور من جزيرة سترة حيث انطلق المواطنون في تظاهرة تطالب بالإفراج الفوري عن سجناء الرأي وحمايتهم من خطر فيروس كورونا#أنقذوا_سجناء_البحرين pic.twitter.com/el2gQM5PHL

— البحرين اليوم (@bahrainAlyoum) April 4, 2021

The protesters held Bahraini authorities fully responsible for endangering the lives of political detainees.

In the village of al-Dair, Bahraini demonstrators and relatives of political inmates mounted stiff resistance as regime forces sought to disperse the crowd, insisting they will press ahead with their demonstrations until their jailed loved ones are freed.

🔴 الدير البحرين | وجهاً لوجه مع الضباط وقوات الشغب ، الأهالي يهتفون بحماس كبير مطالبين بالافراج عن المساجين . السبت ٣ ابريل ٢٠٢١ pic.twitter.com/BJj1pvN75F

— abu ali الديراني (@abualihussein19) April 4, 2021

Arab and Muslim communities in several European capitals also organized vigils in solidarity with Bahraini prisoners of conscience.

Protesters converged outside the Bahraini embassy in London for the second consecutive day, calling for the unconditional release of all political prisoners.

🔴انطلقت الآن وقفة تضامنية من أمام سفارة #البحرين في #لندن مع سجناء #البحرين طالب فيها النشطاء بإطلاق سراح السجناء السياسيين فوراً في ظل تفشي وباء #كورونا بين السجناء وتزايد الخطر عليهم#أنقذوا_سجناء_البحرين pic.twitter.com/sFj6qEhRBn

— ADHRB (@ADHRB) April 3, 2021

The Bahrain embassy in the German capital Berlin was also the scene of a similar rally, where participants voiced solidarity with prisoners being kept in overcrowded jails amid the coronavirus outbreak.

#حركة_حق وقفة احتجاجية امام السفارة البحرينية في #برلين للمطالبة بالافراج عن السجناء في #البحرين #أنقذوا_سجناء_البحرين #أطلقوا_سجناء_البحرين pic.twitter.com/c7tSQMMfLc

— حركة حق (@HAQ_MOVEMENT) April 3, 2021

In the French capital city of Paris, activists called on Bahrain’s ruling regime to expose truth about the deteriorating conditions of detainees at the notorious Jau Prison – which houses political leaders, human rights defenders, and other prisoners of conscience.

Demonstrations in Bahrain have been held on a regular basis ever since a popular uprising began in mid-February 2011.

The participants demand that the Al Khalifah regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

Over dozen British MPs demand govt. to reconsider ties with Bahrain over rights abuses

More than a dozen British lawmakers urge the UK government to reconsider its ties with Bahrain in order to secure the release of political prisoners.

Manama, however, has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent.

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 on April 3, 2017.

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