Bahraini political figures affirmed that no reforms could be adjusted without releasing prisoners of conscience and restoring citizenship to those stripped of it.
Bahraini positions inside and abroad are unanimous that the regime’s decision to revoke the citizenship of Aya Sheikh Isa Qassem in 2016 is a political sin that the regime must revoke.
This came during an electronic symposium organized by the Al-Wefaq Society through the Space on Twitter.
The prominent Shiite cleric, Majid Al-Mishal, said, “The revocation of the nationality of the father Sheikh Ayatollah Qassem was a shock to every free man, Sunni and Shiite, who knows his unanimous positions, and there is no correction to the political estrangement except by restoring his nationality and releasing symbols detained for purely political reasons.”
He stressed that “a brave stand is necessary to correct mistakes and arbitrate reason, logic and authentic national foundations, to overcome the political crisis and achieve real reform, for revoking citizenship is a crime and a flagrant violation of human rights.”
He added, “Attempts to overthrow Ayatollah Qassem’s popularity failed. Rather, the move turned the father’s home of the Faqih into another Pearl Roundabout due to the persecution of his children.”
Al-Mishal considered that “the gateway to radical reform is to restore the nationality of the father, Ayatollah Qassem, and to heal this deep wound in the hearts of his fans and people.”
Jawad Fairouz, the former parliamentarian in the Al-Wefaq bloc, pointed out that “about any religious tolerance the regime talks about, it has targeted a reference that represents a major component in Bahrain and persecutes a group of scholars and Islamic figures with it.”
He pointed out that “the revocation of Ayatollah Qassem’s citizenship was followed by multiple violations, including the extrajudicial killing of peaceful demonstrators. The call is open for effective action for this systematic targeting.”
“The revocation of Ayatollah Qassem’s citizenship is a condemnation of the regime, and there is no serious political reform except by re-establishing his nationality and releasing prisoners of conscience and political leaders,” he said.
The educational professor Ali Muhanna stressed that “the father jurist, Ayatollah Qassem, has a wide religious and humanitarian weight. He is the reference for the Al-Wefaq Society, which garnered the highest percentage of votes despite the drawbacks of the elections. He is courageous.”
Former parliamentarian Jalal Fairouz explained that “Father Ayatollah Qassem is one of the scientific, national and religious figures that countries should be proud of for his high stature and integrity, and this is what Ayatollah Al-Sistani testified to.”
Pointing out that Ayatollah Qassem” enjoys wide international support and acclaim, and revoking his nationality is a heinous step, as he has been one of the original sons of this country for more than two hundred years, even before the ruling family came to Bahrain.”
Journalist Zahra Dirani said, “Ayatollah Qassem’s revolution is the revolution of every free person, and we say to him we are all for your national, Islamic and Arab values that have thwarted all methods. Of oppression and intimidation… the abolition of nationality is judicial and political revenge.”
Activist Youssef Rabie expressed his position by saying that “Whoever issued the decision to revoke the citizenship of Aya Qassem Alem Al-Din, the parliamentarian, and the national figure who participated in writing the Bahrain constitution, is entitled to a miserable right in his authority and his decision is even more miserable.”
