Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Security forces were heavily stationed at the house of the spiritual leader of the Bahraini Shia majority, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, on Tuesday (January 30, 2018), said activists on social media.

The activists explained that the purpose of the heavy security presence was to inform Ayatollah Qassim about the verdict issued against him by the Court of Cassation yesterday, which upheld a a suspended one-year prison sentence. The sentence was handed down to the Sheikh and the head of his office Sheikh Hussein Al-Mahrous and Mirza Al-Darazi.

According to the rights activists, the security forces did the same at Qassim's office member, Haj Mirza Al-Darazi, who was handed the final verdict in the case.

In June 2016, Bahraini authorities revoked the nationalities of Ayatollah Qassim, and later referred him to trial along with Al-Mahrous and Al-Darazi, for practicing the Shia obligatory Khoms (alms) religious ritual, which the authorities considered to be an act of "collecting funds without authorization".

Qassim boycotted the court and refused to appoint an attorney, as did Mirza Al-Darazi.

Arabic Version