Bahrain For the first time since 1400 years: Citizens deprived from attending Friday prayer

The regime forces in Bahrain forcibly deprived citizens from attending weekly held Friday prayers in one of the most popular mosques in Bahrain. The forces setup tens of checkpoints and chased pedestrians of men, women and children heading to the mosque in Duraz area. They perpetrated unprecedented heinous violations against citizens.

Al-Wefaq considered this act a strange incident that Bahrain has never witnessed before, since the first days of Islam before 1400 years. “This reflects the tyrannical mentality and state absence Bahrain suffers from”, Al-Wefaq stated. Since the early morning ofFriday 9th November 2012, huge numbers of regime forces; which are made up of a majority of mercenaries; deployed armoured vehicles and troops in all main and feeder roads that lead to the area of the central prayer in order to block all ways in the face of thousands of worshipers. The regime forces attacked the citizens when they stepped out of cars and attempted to walk cross checkpoints and military roadblocks. Worshipers were faced with the excessive use of force and brutal violence of the regime forces. Consequently, many injuries occurred, some of which are serious. Helicopters flew over the area, while huge numbers of police patrols deployed, filling main and feeder roads near Duraz area and beyond. They unlawfully attempted to ban the prayers and disallow participation. The regime forces used the internationally-prohibited birdshot along with excessive toxic gases causing many injuries between worshipers; especially elderly. What’s more, they used these grenades as live ammunitions, firing directly at citizens. This caused a number of injuries between the citizens, one of which was a skull fracture due to a direct shot to the head. The injured man was admitted for urgent surgery to save his life. Some citizens had to walk a few kilometers on feet. They were chased and attacked with arms by the forces and. Many citizens were arbitrarily arrested the security cordon was tightened. Other citizens were subjected to severe beatings and ugly physical assault. A nearby farm caught fire due to the police’s intensive shootings, the fire reached a number of cars causing damages and burns. Streets and roads were over-jammed because of the big number of roadblocks. Despite all of the arbitrary, unlawful and inhumane measures, thousands of worshipers succeeded to cross the security cordon and actively participate in the Friday prayer behind Ayatollah Issa Qassim in Duraz.