Bahraini scholars stressed that the siege imposed on Diraz is a continued siege on the religion followed by the majority of people in the Gulf island.
In a statement released on Friday, the scholars blamed US, Britain and regional powers for the bloodshed taking place in Diraz and in several towns across the country.
“The crackdown on religion and ideology represents the ultimate corruption of this regime… For that, the courageous Fedayeen (those who sacrifice themselves) withstood this crackdown, sending a letter sealed with blood. This letter reads that whenever you approach our religion, our sacrifice will be much more.”
The Diraz siege is not a siege on a town. It is a siege on a religion and a siege on people, the scholars said, noting that the siege has been against Bahrainis in all means.
Meanwhile the scholars called on Bahrainis to take part in peaceful rallies across the country in a bid to confront what they called the militarized siege on Diraz.
The developments come as the fate of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Issa Qassem remains unknown following the May 23 crackdown on Diraz.
On May 23, regime forces raided Diraz, which has been under a military siege for almost a year, and stormed the home of Sheikh Qassem, the spiritual leader of Bahrain’s Shia majority.
At least five demonstrators were martyred and dozens more injured during the crackdown which also saw more than 280 people arrested.
The fresh wave of pro-democracy protests broke out on May 21, when a Bahraini court sentenced Sheikh Qassim to one year in jail and ordered him to pay $265,266 in fines.
Last year, the cleric was also stripped of his citizenship, which sparked repeated sit-ins outside his residence in Diraz.
Source: Al-Manar
