Pars Today

The situation in Bahrain is alarming and sooner or later bound to explode, says Iran’s English language daily ‘Kayhan International’ in its viewpoint column.

Kayhan International wrote: “The human rights record in the Persian Gulf island state of Bahrain has gone from bad to worse, as the repressive Aal-e Khalifa minority regime tries to cling on to its questionable rule by suppressing the majority of the population through such inhuman measures as denial of birthrights, depriving of citizenship, indiscriminate arrests, imprisonment without trial, unhygienic prison conditions, torture, lack of access to medical care, and death.

According to the latest statistics, some five thousand Bahrainis are languishing behind bars for no apparent fault but opposition to the barbaric policies of the US-British-supported regime.

“Among the prisoners are juveniles and women, as well as some prominent national and international figures jailed for peaceful demands for restoration of civil liberties.

“These include, religious leader Sheikh Ali Salman the Leader of the banned al-Wefaq Party which used to have almost half of the seats in the elected parliament that was unconstitutionally dissolved some eight years ago following start of the peaceful nationwide demonstrations.

“If Sheikh Salman’s illegal prison sentence was unlawfully extended by several more years as his time for release approached, the latest case of official oppression is prominent activist Nabeel Ahmad Abdur-Rasoul Rajab, whose recent appeal against his unlawful detention was rejected by the so-called supreme court, which is nothing but a kangaroo court.”

Kayhan International pointed out: “The regime has barred re-entry to Bahrain’s senior religious leader, Ayatollah Sheikh Eisa Qassem, who is currently in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq, following belated medical treatment in London, where he was allowed to go only after long years of house arrest.

“The elderly Hassan Mushaima, the Secretary-General of the Haq Movement of Bahrain has been refused release and so also engineer Abdul-Jalil as-Singace, whose health is deteriorating.

“With the full backing of the equally oppressive Aal-e Saud heretical Wahhabi regime of the 1932 British-created fiefdom called Saudi Arabia, the Aal-e Khalifa, who are descendants of pirates that seized Bahrain in the late 18th century when Iran was in a weakened state and consolidated their occupation by seeking British protection, have with gay abandon not just trampled upon human rights but have desecrated religious symbols, including copies of the holy Qur’an and banners bearing the names of Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his Infallible Household.

“At the same time, the regime is feverishly trying to change the demography of Bahrain by settling mercenaries from Pakistan, Jordan, Yemen, and other places, while openly dilly-dallying with the illegal Zionist regime, which is in occupation of Islam’s former qibla, Bayt al-Moqaddas, and almost daily kills the Palestinian people. 

“It is a matter of deep regret that the US, which has based its 5th fleet in Bahrain, blindly supports the crimes of the Aal-e Khalifa regime. Washington turns a blind eye to even the UN which on very rare occasions has condemned the tyranny of the Bahraini regime and called for release of detainees, such as Nabeel Rajab, who is no stranger to human rights circles in America and Europe.”

Kayhan International noted: “Rajab is a member of the Advisory Committee of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East Division, Deputy Secretary General for the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), former chairman of CARAM Asia, member of the Advisory Board of the Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-Violence Organization (BRAVO), and Founding Director of the [Persian] Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR).

“His only fault was to vocally support the peaceful uprising of the people of Bahrain and to participate in the public rallies with calls for democracy. 
Nabeel Rajab did not call for regime change and only insisted on relaxation of the police state atmosphere, in addition to denunciation of Riyadh’s meddling in Bahrain’s internal affairs.

“In the eyes of the shaky regime, which might not last long, criticism of its Saudi masters is a crime while any peaceful demand for people’s rights warrants arrest and the resulting torture and deprivation of all citizenship rights.    

“Since Nabeel Rajab happens to be a nephew of Mohamed Hassan Jawad Perweez, one of Bahrain’s Top Thirteen who were imprisoned for taking part in the uprising in 2011, the regime is alarmed that his release will boomerang upon it.
“The Aal-e Khalifa are living in a fool’s paradise, and should know that neither London can save them nor the Americans and the Zionists, as the storm gathers pace for their imminent overthrow by young revolutionaries who have no other choice but to start an armed struggle against the repressive regime.” 

AS/EA