Bahrain Mirror-Exclusive: Security authorities in Bahrain prevented the country's Shiite majority from holding their largest Friday prayers for the 66th consecutive week, banning Imam of Friday prayer and worshipers from entering Diraz.

Eyewitnesses said that the authorities intensified their security presence on Friday (October 20, 2017) at the entrances of Diraz that is resided by about 30 thousand citizens.

Worshippers had to perform Friday prayers separately (without being led by an Imam) in the Imam Al-Sadiq mosque. A protest marched the village's streets after the prayers, condemning the continuation of house arrest imposed on Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim and demanding to lift the siege on Diraz.

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.

Arabic Version