A decade ago today, as pro-democracy uprisings raged across the Middle East, tens of thousands of protesters in Bahrain began their own rallies.
Bahrainis have taken to the streets across the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom to mark the tenth anniversary of a popular uprising against the ruling monarchy. Demonstrators carried pictures of the uprising’s leaders and martyrs as well as placards vowing resistance until victory.
Bahrain’s main opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, posted the pictures of the rallies on its Twitter account.
The protesters chanted slogans against the Al Khalifah regime and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah and held handwritten posters with messages of solidarity with the families of the martyrs and condemnation of the regime’s repression.
Additionally, the Coalition Youth of 14 Feb Revolution in a statement called on all Bahraini groups and masses to close ranks in order to change the ruling political regime in Manama.
Demonstrations in Bahrain have been held on a regular basis ever since the popular uprising began on February 14, 2011.
The protesters demand that the Al Khalifah regime relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.
They have also been complaining about widespread discrimination against the country’s Shia majority.
Manama has responded to the anti-regime protests with an iron fist. The authorities have detained rights campaigners, broken up major opposition political parties, revoked the nationality of several pro-democracy activists and deported them.
