Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini security authorities have continued to prevent the Shia majority from performing their largest Friday prayer in the Imam Al-Sadiq mosque in Diraz for the 57th consecutive week.

Activists said on Friday (August 18, 2017) that authorities are still imposing security siege on the village. The authorities also prevented non-residents from entering the village. Worshippers had to perform 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.

Diraz, resided by about 30 thousands, has been witnessing a strict siege since June 2016 based on the open sit-in held outside the spiritual leader of Shia majority Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim.

The authorities forcibly dispersed Diraz protest on May 23, 2017 which left 5 killed, dozens injured and about 300 arrested. They then put Sheikh Qassim under house arrest and continued their siege on the village, although the sit-in was dispersed.

Arabic Version