UN rights chief urges Bahrain to investigate Diraz violence

A UN human rights chief has called on Bahrain to probe a raid by regime forces on the house of nations prominent religious scholar Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim which left five people dead last month.

"I urge the government to investigate the events of 23 May, in particular the loss of lives, to ensure that the findings are made public and that those responsible are held accountable," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein said Friday.

Dozens of people were also injured when regime forces attacked Ayatollah Sheikh Qassim’s supporters in the northwestern village of Diraz. The clergyman’s fate remains unknown, with some reports saying he is under house arrest.

In a statement, Hussein urged Bahrain “to choose a different path – one of engagement and dialog, as well as accountability for violence, regardless of the perpetrator.”

The Diraz bloodshed came less than 48 hours after Bahrain's self-styled King Hamad bin Isa Aal-e Khalifah met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of a summit in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

Analysts believe Manama’s fresh crackdown on political dissent and Hamad’s meeting with Trump were no coincidence.

Since the Diraz attack, people have held several protests across Bahrain to denounce the incident and express solidarity with its victims.

On Friday, Bahraini demonstrators took to the streets of the city of Jidhafs to demand the removal of the US Navy Fifth Fleet from the tiny Persian Gulf country.

Since 2011, Bahrain has been the scene of peaceful anti-regime protests against the systematic abuse of the Shia population and discrimination against them. Manama has responded to the protests with lethal force, which has drawn international criticism.

SS