Bahrainis Urge Al Khalifa Regime to Free Political Prisoners (+Photos)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Bahrainis took to the streets in various parts of the tiny Persian Gulf country on Friday to call for the immediate release of political prisoners, opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman in particular.
The peaceful protests were held in Bilad al-Qadeem, the hometown of Sheikh Salman on the outskirts of the capital Manama, and other parts of Bahrain like Musalla, Diraz and Malkiya.
The demonstrators condemned the continued detention of Sheikh Salman, the secretary general of Bahrain's main opposition bloc al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, and called for the release of all political prisoners, including the prominent Shiite cleric.
Waving Bahrain's national flags and carrying pictures of sheikh Salman, the protesters chanted anti-regime slogans and reiterated the continuation of popular demonstrations until the realization of their "legitimate demands".
Sheikh Salman was arrested in late December 2014 over alleged anti-regime incitements. Manama accused him of seeking regime change and collaborating with foreign powers.
Bahrain, a staunch ally of the United States in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.
