Hawzah News Agency-On Friday, November 11, a mass protest was held near Imam Sadiq mosque in the village of Diraz, the hometown of the cleric.

The demonstrators condemned Manama’s continued ban on holding Friday prayers in the village.

On June 20, Bahraini authorities stripped the 79-year-old cleric of his citizenship, less than a week after suspending the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, the country’s main opposition bloc, and dissolving the Islamic Enlightenment Institution, founded by Qassim, and the opposition al-Risala Islamic Association.

People in the villages of Shakhoura and Abu Saiba also demonstrated in solidarity with Sheikh Qassem and the political detainees despite tightened security measures.

Similar anti-regime demonstrations were held in the villages of Ma'ameer, Karbabad, Shahrakan, Sehla al-Janoubia and Musalla as well as the town of A'ali and the island of Nabih Saleh.

The protesters also condemned the Al Khalifah regime for its persecution of the Shia community.

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