AhlulBayt News Agency: Bahrain's main opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, says the ruling Al Khalifah regime is exploiting the ongoing visit by Pope Francis to the tiny Persian Gulf island state in order to cover up its gross human rights violations and repressive measures against democracy advocates.
Al-Wefaq wrote in a statement published on its Twitter page that Bahraini authorities intend to take advantage of the trip in their favor, despite the fact that the situation of human rights, freedom of expression and political tolerance in the country is appalling and fairly critical.
It added that the Manama regime seeks to mask the extent of its oppression and religious discrimination, and this comes as prisons and detention centers across Bahrain are full of scholars, professors, elites and nationalist figures who are subjected to all forms of torture and humiliation.
Pointing to the cruel treatment of the regime officials toward the country’s highest religious authority Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, al-Wefaq stressed that dozens of scholars, including top opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, are currently being held behind bars, and hundreds of others are victims of political, religious, cultural, social, economic and security discrimination.
The opposition group also highlighted that the Aal-e Khalifah regime blatantly violates human rights and civil liberties, restricts freedom of opinion, religion and belief, categorically rejects any dialogue, and knows no boundary to punish and imprison dissidents.
Earlier, nine international human rights organizations urged Pope Francis to call for an end to human rights abuses in Bahrain and denounce injustice and repressive policies of the Aal-e Khalifa regime during his visit to the country.
The head of the Catholic Church is currently paying an official visit to Bahrain at the invitation of the country's civil and ecclesial authorities. He will conclude his trip on November 6.
He is scheduled visit the capital of Manama and the city of Awali “on the occasion of the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence.”
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Al-Wefaq wrote in a statement published on its Twitter page that Bahraini authorities intend to take advantage of the trip in their favor, despite the fact that the situation of human rights, freedom of expression and political tolerance in the country is appalling and fairly critical.
It added that the Manama regime seeks to mask the extent of its oppression and religious discrimination, and this comes as prisons and detention centers across Bahrain are full of scholars, professors, elites and nationalist figures who are subjected to all forms of torture and humiliation.
Pointing to the cruel treatment of the regime officials toward the country’s highest religious authority Grand Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim, al-Wefaq stressed that dozens of scholars, including top opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, are currently being held behind bars, and hundreds of others are victims of political, religious, cultural, social, economic and security discrimination.
The opposition group also highlighted that the Aal-e Khalifah regime blatantly violates human rights and civil liberties, restricts freedom of opinion, religion and belief, categorically rejects any dialogue, and knows no boundary to punish and imprison dissidents.
Earlier, nine international human rights organizations urged Pope Francis to call for an end to human rights abuses in Bahrain and denounce injustice and repressive policies of the Aal-e Khalifa regime during his visit to the country.
The head of the Catholic Church is currently paying an official visit to Bahrain at the invitation of the country's civil and ecclesial authorities. He will conclude his trip on November 6.
He is scheduled visit the capital of Manama and the city of Awali “on the occasion of the Bahrain Forum for Dialogue: East and West for Human Coexistence.”
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