Bahrain Fights Freedom of Belief and Conscience

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Official bodies in Bahrain mobilized their efforts in the continued systematic fight against religious freedoms and tightening on Ashura rituals. Ashura is yearly commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Husain, the grandson of the prophet Mohammed. Religious manifestations of Ashura have been attacked and Islamic activists were also targeted. The attempts to tighten on Ashura rituals continue as part of the systematic restrictions of religious freedom in Bahrain.The regime’s war against religious rituals and freedoms is illustrated in targeting those who organized or produced them, vandalizing artworks,  removing commemorating banners, destroying artistic manifestations, summoning citizens who raised religious flags or placed Ashura signs on rooftops, harassing worshipers who tried to practice Ashura rituals and inappropriately issuing traffic fines against worshipers. Collectively, this reflects a blatant official violation against the freedom of religion and conscience which the regime is fully responsible for.Such violations go in line with the ongoing sectarian targeting and extrajudicial acts aiming to classify a broad category of the community as enemies for sectarian reasons and to retaliate against the people demanding democracy in Bahrain./129