Bahrain Mirror: The Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society issued a statement stressing that the acts of repression, intimidation and widespread targeting of the Ashura season by the Bahraini authorities are a blatant attack on religious freedom and a violation of the right of people to think, and they reveal to what extent the authorities fight communal coexistence.

Al-Wefaq said that the authorities are working to arrest, summon and insult the scholars, preachers, chanters and heads of Hussainiyas, and are carrying out a blatant attack on areas to remove and tear apart Ashura manifestations. It added that these extreme practices and others occur in most regions without any respect for the feelings of Muslims commemorating Prophet Mohammad's grandson, Imam Hussein (peace be upon them).

The society stressed that Bahrainis have been commemorating Ashura seasons for hundreds of years even before the existence of the ruling family in Bahrain and before the establishment of the modern state, and it has become a custom. It added that violating this custom and disrespecting the Bahraini scholars, preachers, dignitaries, heads of institutions and those who commemorate Ashura belonging to the Jaafari doctrine is an unacceptable transgression that must stop. The authorities must stop their sectarian targeting and contempt against the beliefs and religious practices of others and violation of freedom of thought and conscience, Al-Wefaq further said.

It asserted that all these practices and extremism against the citizens, as well as the authorities' lack of the culture of co-existence are as a result of the absence of partnership and the control of one party over the fate of all Bahrainis in everything. The security and judicial authorities with their various agencies play a role in targeting religious rituals with the logic of "your opinion is only what I decide," Al-Wefaq added. It further said that with any proposal, thought or practice that the government does not like, it prepares its various agencies to attack it with fire and iron without any respect for religion, thought, opinion or existence of others.

Al-Wefaq stressed that the absence of political partnership, political reform, the spread of tyranny and the persistence of authoritarianism have brought the country to this reality, which is based on fighting harmony, coexistence and oppression against the other, which are suffered by most Bahrainis at all levels and in various fields.

Arabic Version