 Before Ashura Season, Bahraini authorities started harassing the religious activities carried out by citizens in preparation for Ashura Season. Authorities summoned (14) managers of Hussainiyas and obsequies in Muharraq Island on September 29. The security authorities also restricted a number of preachers after summoning and interrogating (12) of them based on historical issues related to the murder of Imam Hussein 14 centuries ago. Authorities claim that preachers are insulting Islamic figures, in reference to (Yazid Ibn Muawiya) who killed Prophet Mohamed’s grandson, Imam Hussein. However, this contradicts Muslims who do not classify Yazid as a Sahabi (companion) or a religious figure. The authorities also arrested 3 scholars participating in the commemoration of Ashura, including Sayed Mohamed-Hadi Al-Guraifi who was arrested on Wednesday, October 5. Later, the public prosecution discharged him. In addition, on October 16, the authorities called upon 5 preachers: Abbas Mullah Attiya Al-Jamri, Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Mullah Attiya Al-Jamri, Sayed Sadiq Al-Guraifi, Sayed Faysal Al Talebi and Sheikh Hassan Al-A’ali for interrogation at the Southern Hamad Police Station. The investigation remained ongoing for 10 hours during which they were even banned from drinking water. After the investigation, Abbas Mullah Attiya Al-Jamri, Sheikh Hassan Al-A’ali, and Sayed Faysal Al-Talebi were released. However, the authorities detained Sheikh Abdul Mohsen Mullah Attiya Al- Jamri and Sayed Sadiq Al-Guraifi to refer them to the public prosecution the next morning. Al Guraifi was questioned 175 Violation of Religious Freedom about a lecture regarding “History of Bahraini villages”, while Sheikh Abbas Mullah Attiya Al-Jamri was interrogated about the topic of “Takfir” which he criticized in one of his speeches. On the other hand, authorities made clerics and preachers wait for hours before starting the investigation, meaning they wouldn’t be able to lecture. They would be released after the end of the “lecturing program” they have set, as what happened with Sheikh Maytham Al-Salman. He was interrogated for around 6 hours about a religious speech he had given during Ashura. He was discharged late on the evening of Monday, October 10, and was asked to return the next day to continue the interrogation. It’s noteworthy that Al-Salman was summoned for interrogation by the security authorities several times during 2016 based on religious speeches and his human rights activity, since he is the head of the Religious Freedoms Department at Bahrain Human Rights Observatory. The authorities also interrogated the religious chanter “Hussein Mulla Hassan Sahwan” and detained him for a day for announcing that “Yazid Ibn Muawiya” is the killer of Imam Hussein. Within the same context, the security authorities arrested the journalist Faisal Hiatt for insulting Yazid Ibn Muawya – as previously mentioned during the sequence of events – along with the social activist Ahmad Al-Rayyes who is known for his religious activism in issues related to commemoration of Ashura Season. The number of summons and arrest cases amounted to (32) cases, (27) of which were summons cases, (5) of the latter were arresting cases of detainees who were later discharged, except for the journalist Faisal Hiatt. A judicial verdict was issued regarding his case, and he was sentenced to 3 months in prison as it was previously mention. |
