29 Mar 2024
Wednesday 23 March 2016 - 13:21
Story Code : 206963

Thousands hold funeral for prominent Shia cleric in Bahrain

Thousands hold funeral for prominent Shia cleric in Bahrain
Bahrainis have taken to the streets to take part in a massive funeral procession for a renownedpro-democracy Shia cleric opposed to the ruling Al Khalifaregime.

Thousands of mourners held a funeral ceremony in the capital Manamaon Tuesday for renowned Islamic scholar Allamah Seyyed Javad al-Veda'i.

The Shia Muslim clericwas one of the most prominent leaders of the Bahraini revolution.

Allameh al-Veda'i, who passed away at the age of 93on Monday, was hospitalized last Friday after his health deteriorated.

Despite the possibility of a crackdown by security forces, people marched in their thousands to take part in his funeral. Many political and social figures also attended his funeral.

The Shia clericwas known as a popular leader who fought for human rights in Bahrain.He was an outspoken critic of the al-Khalifaregime and signed many anti-regime statements made public by other renowned Bahraini clerics and activists.



[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="550"] Bahraini mourners carry the coffin of Allameh Seyyed Javad al-Veda'i during his funeral procession in the capital Manama on March 22, 2016.[/caption]

Since February 2011, thousands of anti-regime protesters in Bahrain have held numerous demonstrations on an almost daily basis, calling for the Al Khalifa family to relinquish power.

The uprising, however, has been met with a heavy-handed crackdown, with security forces killing more than a hundred and jailing hundreds more, including senior opposition leaders.

Manama has also enjoyed the support of Saudi and Emirati troops in quelling the protests.

UK-based Amnesty International and other rights groups have repeatedly censured the Bahraini regime for the rampant human rights abuses against anti-government protesters.

Manama has also jailed many opposition figures, including Sheikh Ali Salman, the secretary general of the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, and Ibrahim Sharif, the leader of the National Democratic Action Society (Waad), Bahrains largest leftist political party.

By Press TV
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