Iran Press/ Middle East: The senior cleric warned of the catastrophic consequences of the Coronavirus outbreak in prisons while demanding the release of political prisoners in Bahrain.
Referring to the large number of people infected with the Coronavirus in the world, Bahrain’s top Shia cleric emphasized that the release of thousands of prisoners is necessary and it is a humane, emotional and conscientious act.
Sheikh Isa Qassim also warned the Bahraini government that the entry of the Coronavirus into prisons means setting the country on fire, which would lead to security chaos, in which case the country would no longer be able to control it.
He reiterated that his warnings were only sincere advice to protect the health of people in the country.
Human rights activists in Bahrain say that prison authorities did not have any plan to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection or ensure detainees had access to vital information about the virus, including how to protect themselves against infection. .
They say that prison authorities did not take any additional precautions to prevent the spread of the virus, including sanitizing the prison or providing detainees with cleaning supplies and protective gear.
Prison authorities suspended all visits on February 25, which prevents prisoners’ families from assisting their loved ones.
Bahrain’s prisons are plagued by hygiene problems. There was a scabies outbreak at the Dry Dock Detention Center in January 2020, infecting more than half the prison population.
Last month, Forty-four Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have called on Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah to order the release of political dissidents currently being held in the Manama regime’s prisons, and embark on an honest and comprehensive dialogue with the opposition in order to ensure economic sustainability in the Persian Gulf kingdom.
Worldwide, the total number of infections recorded since the beginning of the outbreak reached more than1,015,667. Some 212,991 people have recovered globally while nearly 53,200 have died.
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