Freedom of Expression Crushed
On Wednesday, the regime forces arrested 8 citizens, injured two and raided two homes amidst attacks on more than 18 areas around Bahrain collectively punishing people in villages.
The regime forces used birdshots – an internationally prohibited weapon- and continued firing tear gas at overpopulated neighborhoods. This led to the death of Haji Mahdi Ali Marhoun – an elderly man from Ma’ameer- who died due to inhaling lethal toxic gassed fired near his home. Marhoun was mourned in a massive funeral where the mourner demanded to hold to account all those responsible for shedding the blood of citizens and for violating human rights, whoever the violator is.
The regime imposes multi-level official constraints on the freedom of expression; in which many citizens have been arrested for their tweets.
Areas that witnessed protests were: Al-Dair, Al-Kawara, Tubli, Sanad, Ma’ameer, Ekir, Sitra, Markoban, Al-Daih, Duraz, Dar Kulaib, Karzakan, Shahrakan, Sanabis, A-Guraiya, North Sihla, Nuaim and A’ali.
Notably, birdshots were excessively used against Shahrakan and Ma’ameer to violently suppress peaceful pro-democracy protesters that took their streets.
In Sitra, a peaceful protest was brutally suppressed by the regime forces. The protest was in solidarity with the medics- prisoners of conscience- who are being jailed for treating pro-democracy injured protesters at the beginning of the revolution in Bahrain.
The regime forces, who are mostly non-Bahrainis; are mainly brought to suppress citizens. They vandalized many cars that were parked in one of neighborhoods in Sitra while there was brutal suppression against the pro-democracy protesters who were exercising their right of freedom of expression.
A protest in A’ali village marched the area condemning the killing of Haji Mahdi Ali Marhoun, who was killed by the regime. Protesters demanded accountability for all martyrs who killed as a result of the regime’s ongoing brutal crackdown; attempting to crush all protests in the country.
Also, a citizen from Shahrakan was reported to have been injured by birdshot weapon and been arrested by the police. His family is still worried about his health situation. The same area is, also, reported to have been flooded with lethal toxic tear gas that were fired at overpopulated neighborhoods which indicates the deliberate attempt of murder.
