by Zachary Lucas
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

MANAMA, Bahrain — The Kingdom of Bahrain stripped top Shiite Cleric, Sheikh Isa Qassim, of citizenship on Tuesday. Iran has issued a statement saying the revocation of leadership could lead to an overthrow of the government.

The government of Bahrain stripped Qassim of his citizenship, stating he helped to divide the country. The Bahrain News Agency said Qassim helped create “an extremist sectarian environment and worked on dividing the society.” The government also stated that Qassim formed groups that were loyal to foreign religious groups and governments, purportedly in reference to Iran.

Following Qassim’s revocation of citizenship, hundreds of Bahraini protesters have gathered outside the cleric’s home to support him. The protesters denied the allegations against the cleric. Clashes between the protesters and police have been sporadic following the sit-in outside the cleric’s house. The Bahraini government has warned that legal action will be taken against those who incite “security disturbances.”

The Iranian government warned Bahrain that these actions could lead to an overthrow of the government. Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, warned that this could set the” whole region on fire” and lead to armed resistance against the government.

This is one of a string of actions taken by the Bahraini government against the opposition groups in the country. Earlier in the week a Bahraini court suspended the main Shiite opposition party, al-Wefaq, along with freezing its assets. The government also more than doubled a prison sentence  for Al-Wefaq’s secretary-general, Sheikh Ali Salman. In response to the government crackdown on the opposition, more protests and violence have emerged including a gasoline bomb that killed a police officer.

Human rights organizations are concerned about human rights violations by the Sunni ruled Bahraini government and actions against the majority Shiite population. Brian Dooley, the director of the Washington-based group Human Rights First, said, “the targeting of the theological side of things, I think, is particularly worrying.”

In 2011, Bahrain saw mass protests during the Arab Spring as predominantly Shiite protesters argued for more political and civil liberties. During the protests, Qassim supported the protesters in their cause. The government along with help from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates crushed the protests.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Iran general warns Bahrain after Shia cleric stripped of citizenship – 20 June 2016

CNN – Iran: Bahrain’s leadership could fall over cleric’s treatment – 21 June 2016

Reuters – Bahrain summons senior Shi’ite clerics for questioning: lawyer – 23 June 2016

ABC News – Rally Outside Shiite Sheikh’s Home Reflects Bahrain Unrest – 23 June 2016