Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency on Tuesday, Sheikh Abdullah Daqaq, Sheikh Qassim’s representative in Iran, said the first session of trial of the top Bahraini cleric is slated to be held on Wednesday, adding that he is not going to appear in the court.
He further warned the Manama regime against the consequences of the trial of Sheikh Qassim, saying that if the regime makes an act against the cleric and his supporters, it will be followed by deadly violence and bloodshed.
Daqaq went on to say that Muslims around the world plan to hold rallies this Friday in solidarity with Sheikh Qassim.
Previous reports indicated that Sheikh Qassim would go on trial in August for alleged “money laundering”.
The Al Khalifa regime announced on June 20 that the citizenship of Sheikh Qassim has been revoked, accusing him of sowing sectarian divisions.
Bahrain, a close ally of the US 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.
Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.
Amnesty International and many other international rights organizations have frequently censured the Bahraini regime for the rampant human rights abuses against opposition groups and anti-regime protesters.