BFHR: Ayatollah Qassim has beenunder house arrest for more than 70 days amid tight security measures The Bahrain Forum for Human Rights(BFHR) said that the leader of the Shiite community, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa AhmadQassim, is still placed under house arrest by the security authorities inDuraz; this security harassment has been going on for more than 70 days “The continued tight security measures near AyatollahQassim’s house hinder his private doctors from following-up his medicalcondition and harass his family members wishing to visit him because they arebeing held for long periods and subjected to strict measures,” the BFHR furthersaid. “In addition, several violations of freedom of movement were recorded inDuraz, and a number of citizens are still being prosecuted over theirparticipation in the peaceful assembly in Duraz, before it was quelled usingexcessive force and hundreds of people were arrested, some of whom theirdetention conditions and trials are still ambiguous because they were notallowed to meet with their lawyers or their families,” the BFHR added "These measures imposed by the security authorities on theresidents of Duraz have coincided with provocative media coverage and theauthorities’ denial of the information reported about various violations,including the disruption of performing the largest Friday prayer for the Shiitecommunity in Bahrain," the BFHR concluded, stressing that Bahrain iswitnessing a significant deterioration in ideological and religious securityand that fundamental rights and freedoms have been severely violated within asecurity context designed to silence civil society |