News / Persian Gulf

Bahrainis once again slam Sheikh Qassim's citizenship revocation

Wednesday, 06 July 2016 4:49 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 06 July 2016 4:49 PM ]

Bahrainis protest against the revocation of the citizenship of Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim in the town of A’ali on July 6, 2016.

Bahrainis once again took to the streets Wednesday in protest against the citizenship revocation of senior Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim.

The protesters gathered in a number of towns including A’ali and Sitra after Eid al-Fitr prayers, which marks the end of the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

The demonstrators called for an end to sectarian persecution practiced by the Al Khalifah regime, while voicing solidarity with the victims of the regime’s crackdown on the opposition.

Manama repealed Sheikh Qassim’s citizenship on June 20 amid an intensifying crackdown on the pro-democracy drive across the country.

Reports said Tuesday that the Bahraini regime had disabled internet connections and cellular coverage in Diraz, the home village of Sheikh Qassim, shortly before the military surrounded the village with checkpoints, denying people entry.

A villager named Ali said, “Every night, we face internet disruptions and disconnections. First the whole signal is disconnected for a few seconds, then the signal is back but there is not cellular data, no 3G, no 4G.”

Since February 14, 2011, thousands of anti-regime protesters have held numerous demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis, calling for the Al Khalifah family to relinquish power.

Troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to assist the Manama regime in its crackdown.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds of others injured or arrested in the crackdown.

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