’Day of Rage’ Protests in Bahrain to Support Sheikh Isa Qassim

Bahrainis have held protests in recent days after news spread about deteriorating health of Sheikh Qassim, spiritual leader of majority Shiites of the Persian Gulf state. The public has also been staging sit-ins in front of his house in Diraz.

On Thursday evening, Bahraini people took to the streets in several areas in response to a similar call by the opposition Haq Movement’s scholars.

The protest, the scholars said, should also broadcast the Bahraini people’s outrage at domestic oppression to the world.

The senior cleric’s release and treatment is “fateful and there is no room for compromise in this issue,” the statement read.

Yesterday, Sheikh Maytham Al-Salman stressed that Sheikh Isa Qassim is "facing a slow death" after the Al Khalifa regime prevented him from his right to trusted medical care.

Sheikh Maytham called on the international community to pressure the government to put an end to Sheikh Isa Qassim's sufferings.

On May 21, a Bahraini court convicted Sheikh Qassim of illegal collection of funds and money laundering and sentenced him to one year in jail suspended for three years.

The top Shiite Islamic scholar also faces expulsion from Bahrain after authorities revoked his citizenship, accusing him of “illegal fund collections, money laundering and helping terrorism.” They further accused him of using his position to “serve foreign interests” and promote “sectarianism and violence.” He has strongly rejected all the allegations.

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

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