Bahrain Mirror: The highest Shiite religious authority in Bahrain, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, issued (July 21, 2020) a statement in which he said that the political opposition against the regime will continue until a fair political relationship between the government and the people is achieved, and all rights are legally and effectively recognized.

The following is his full statement:

"Where is the problem in Bahrain?"

In the name of of Allah the Most Merciful

There is in fact neither a surging revolution in Bahrain, provocative events triggered by the people against the government, nor riots.

As for what there actually is in the Bahraini scene, it's the political opposition, practiced in the calmest methods, and it is what must exist as long as its necessity exists, and this is what is imposed by religion, humanity, the homeland's interests, and even the constitution.

No one from the government or otherwise can claim that the people of Bahrain enjoy their political or other rights. As long as these rights are absent, the correct and necessary thing and what must be expected is that the continuation of the political opposition until the situation is corrected.

The right to do so can only be denied by someone far from equity and from any sense of the truth's dignity and worth.

As for those who punish this opposition, their aggression is the most obvious.

Today the government's prisons are full of political opponents and anti-oppression opinion-holders, and its courts continue to issue unjust sentences of life imprisonment and varying prison terms, as well as death sentences, which human rights organizations speak of and highlight main evidence stating that confessions are made under the authority of unbearable torture.

The state's official cultural, religious, social, economic and legislative attacks against the people are still in full swing, and in steady continuity.

These are the two positions, the position of the people regarding the state, and the position of the state regarding the people. Let religion, the human conscience, the moderate international movement, or any just constitution judge these positions and state which is at fault in the just relationship between the people and the government and who's the oppressor, the instigator of tensions, the one whose has the nature of creating situations that threaten security and stability and the country's interests.

The relationship is abnormal due to the government's position. The solution is necessary for the safety as well as the interests of the country, and the brotherhood of its citizens. The solution is to quash the death sentences and stop issuing any new ones, and evacuate all prisoners imprisoned during the political events so that they can exercise their natural freedom and their natural role that should be enjoyed by all citizens under the values of religion, just law and established legal order, and return to building a just political relationship between the government and the people, and legal and effective recognition of all rights.

This is neither impossible nor difficult for souls who hear the truth, accept justice, are concerned for the nation's interest, respectful of humankind, rebellious against their own weakness and what is inspired by evil.

Isa Ahmad Qassim

July 21, 2020

Arabic Version