Bahrain Mirror- Exclusive: Security authorities in Bahrain continued to ban the country's Shiite majority from holding their largest Friday prayers for the 81th consecutive week, through the continued siege imposed on Diraz village.

Eyewitnesses said that the authorities intensified their security presence on Friday (January 26, 2018) at surrounding of Imam Al-Sadiq Mosque in Diraz, where the largest Friday prayer was 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