Bahrain Mirror- Exclusive: Security authorities in Bahrain continued to ban the country's Shiite majority from holding their largest Friday prayers for the 90th consecutive week, through the continued siege imposed on Diraz village.

Eyewitnesses said that the authorities intensified their security presence on Friday (March 30, 2018) at Diraz entrance and prevented citizens and Imam of Friday prayer from entering the village.

Activists posted photos showing citizens performing Friday prayers separately (without being led by an Imam) in the Imam Al-Sadiq mosque, where the largest Friday prayers for the Shia majority were used to be held.

Since June 2016, security authorities have banned Shia from performing their largest Friday prayers, revoked the citizenship of the spiritual leader of Shia majority Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim and prosecuted him over exercising the Shia's obligatory Khums (alms) ritual.

Sheikh Isa Qassim has been under house arrest since May 23, 2017, after the authorities forcibly dispersed a peaceful sit-in outside his house that was stage in protest against his targeting.

Arabic Version