The opposition forces in Bahrain issued a joint statement on the occasion
of the eighth anniversary of the Epic of Fidaa (Sacrifice), which reads as
follows:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
The eighth anniversary marks the raid by regime forces on “Al-Fidaa
Square” in Diraz, where several steadfast defenders of Ayatollah Sheikh
Isa Qassim were killed. Hundreds more were injured and arrested after
over 300 days of unwavering resistance. Five defenders were martyred,
and nearly 300 were subjected to brutal detention.
This came amid an all-out war against every aspect of religious, doctrinal,
and political existence and its leadership, alongside an intensified
crackdown by the authorities on places of worship, religious platforms, and
institutions. It also involves the deliberate undermining of the independence
of religious affairs management and its subjugation to serve government
policies—directly opposing firmly held religious beliefs that reject official
interference in religious matters and the practice of rituals.
On this great anniversary, we remember the five martyrs of Al-Fidaa
Square who fell on May 23, 2017: Muhammad Al-Sari, Muhammad Zain Al-
Din, Muhammad Al-Akri, Ahmed Al-Asfour, and Muhammad Hamdan —
whose brother Mustafa had preceded him in martyrdom during an earlier
attack on the square’s protesters. With their pure blood, they offered
timeless lessons that will remain a beacon in the history of this resilient
nation that rejects oppression and servitude.
On this occasion, the opposition forces in Bahrain note the following points:
1- The events of Al-Fidaa Square in May 2017 marked a critical phase
in the systematic campaign of persecution, the most dangerous stage
of which had begun in June 2016, as part of the regime’s attempt to
crush the opposition forces. At the time, the decision to dissolve
political and religious societies served as a gateway to launching a far
more dangerous campaign—one that targeted the religious obligation
of ‘’khums’’, criminalized it, and violated the doctrine of loyalty and
adherence to religious authorities. This unfolded as part of a direct
assault on the stature and life of His Eminence Ayatollah Sheikh Isa
Qassim (may God preserve and protect him), through an unjust trial
that came to symbolize the regime’s open confrontation against the
beliefs of the people.
2- The regime launched its campaign in 2012 against Ayatollah Qassim,
his leadership, and his honorable pulpit in Diraz. Through directives
from its highest ranks and the use of its tools to unleash the most
blatant insults against him in yellow journalism, this was part of a
deliberate plan to target the leadership, free religious scholars, and
religious institutions in the country, aiming to hollow out society and
strip it of its fundamental sources of strength. The fierce campaign in
2016 was an escalated outcome of this ongoing criminal scheme that
continues to this day.
3- We affirm that the regime’s targeting of Ayatollah Qassim was due to
his clear, unwavering, and openly declared stance in supporting and
sponsoring the February 14 Revolution, his exposure of the regime’s
repression and violations, and his unwavering defense of the just
goals of the revolution, its proud people, and its steadfast symbols.
His stance played a major role in strengthening the revolution during
its early years, which were marked by the harshest of
circumstances—especially following the entry of the Peninsula Shield
Forces into the country.
4- The dear people of Bahrain—from all segments and currents of the
faithful community—demonstrated their deep awareness of the
gravity of the targeting of Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim and the
schemes the regime harbored behind it. They rose in his defense,
fully recognizing the weight he carries as a unifying figure, a national,
religious, and resistance leader of great stature both within Bahrain
and across the broader Islamic world. He stands as a vanguard
defender of Bahrain’s identity and the authenticity of its people in the
face of plans for moral decay and cultural subjugation. Our people,
along with the faithful sit-in participants at Al-Fidaa Square, offered a
heroic epic that affirmed their noble character and unwavering
commitment to their faith and highest values. All opposition forces
and communities took part in that steadfast stand and selfless
sacrifice during the horrific massacre on May 23, 2017.
5- After all these years since the massacre at Al-Fidaa Square, and with
the regime’s continued religious persecution of citizens—including the
ongoing security ban on Friday prayers at Diraz Mosque—we call
upon the international community to end its hypocritical displays,
withdraw support from the regime in Bahrain, issue clear
condemnations of its violations, and pressure it to cease its war
against the identity and religious and historical existence of the
people.
6- Finally, we affirm that the opposition forces and the people of Bahrain
remain true to the pledge — a pledge of sacrifice for religion, creed,
freedom, dignity, and sovereignty, and of resistance against tyranny,
corruption, repression, and normalization. We call on the regime to
realize that oppression and terror will never grant it control, security,
or stability without the people, no matter how much it hides behind
foreign powers. There is no path forward except yielding to the will of
the people and responding to their rightful demands for the
establishment of a fully sovereign constitutional state. As Ayatollah
Qassim, who remains the voice and soul of the people, once said:
“He will not sign the deed of servitude, slavery, and humiliation.”
Opposition Forces in Bahrain:
• Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society
• Islamic Action Society (Amal)
• Liberty and Democracy Movement (Haqq)
• Al-Wafa’a Islamic Party
• February 14 Revolution Youth Coalition
• Bahrain Islamic Freedom Movement
Wednesday, 21 May 2025
