Geneva, Friday December 8th 2017

Since June 2016, the spiritual leader of the Shi’a movement Al-Wefaq, Sheikh Isa Qassim stayed home under military surveillance. Ayatollah is a fervent leader of the opposition to the current government. These political positions earned him the dissolution of his party Al-Wefaq, whom the government considered to be dangerous for the peace and national balance. By the way Sheikh Isa Qassim was even revoked of his Bahraini nationality. All these events are only the results of a crisis that has a much deeper beginnings. Let's have a quick retrospective of the situation of this small kingdom of Gulf so we can better understand how they got there.

Bahrain is a small Shi’a Gulf royalty governed by a Sunni royal family. In February 2011 the people started to take the streets to protest against the discriminations and social injustice, they want more social investment from the government. In fact this country have an unemployment exceeds 15% which attend almost 30% of the active population. Youth is affected by the miss of helps to school access, help for medical care, or reform for working conditions.

Many opponents were arrested by Police during weeks as the government called the army to suppress the protesters. The fact that the situation was only ignited, the constant calls from the spiritual leader to continue the fight and his pseudo links with the Shi’a government of the Republic of Iran have ended up exacerbating the government, so with the support of Saudi Arabia has decided in June 2016 to punish Sheikh Isa Qassim by revoking his nationality. In a context of strategic war between Iran and Saudi Arabia the tensions were taking place in the conflict inside the country and put a little more oil on the fire of a burning region where insecurity reigns.

Following all these events, the Bahraini population protested more and more. This has forced the government to stop the influence of the spiritual leader by assigning him to residence, Sheikh Isa Qassim is this way under military surveillance. Since his state of health is only getting worst. The 81 years old leader is in urgent need of medical care.

On the 7^th of December 2017, the UN urged the Government of Bahrain to withdraw the military siege at Sheikh Qasim’s house so he can receive the emergency medical care he needs.

ICSFT requests the Bahraini Government to provide medical assistance in the faster way possible to the spiritual leader who is in critical condition.

ICSFT totally condemns the opposition repression from the government and remind them that they have the duty to respect the Universal Human Rights Declaration.