The U.S. Criticizes Bahrain's Revocation of Prominent Shia Cleric's Citizenship

John Kirby, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, criticized Bahrain's decision to revoke the citizenship of Sheikh Isa Qassim, a prominent Shia cleric in the country, on Monday, June 21. The Bahraini government accused Sheikh Isa Qassim of attempting to incite division within Bahraini society, encouraging youth to violate the constitution, and fueling ethnic tensions in the country. According to AFP, Kirby stated in a statement that what exacerbates our concerns is reports indicating that Sheikh Isa Qassim is unable to respond to the accusations against him or to challenge this action by the Bahraini government through a transparent judicial process. The U.S. State Department spokesperson further urged the Bahraini government to resolve political disputes in the country through reforms and reconciliation rather than judicial actions. The revocation of Sheikh Isa Qassim's citizenship led to thousands gathering in front of the Shia cleric's home on Monday to protest this decision. Reuters reports that eyewitnesses stated that a crowd of about three to four thousand gathered outside Sheikh Isa Qassim's house in the Shia-majority village of Diraz, west of Manama, the capital, chanting Shia slogans. Videos shared on social media showed Ayatollah Isa Qassim outside his home responding to the protesters' sentiments. Iranian officials have reacted to this action by the Bahraini government. Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, stated in a statement that the revocation of Ayatollah Isa Qassim's citizenship will lead to 'armed resistance' and the 'fall of the Bahraini regime.' Despite the fact that the majority of Bahrain's population is Shia Muslim, the country is ruled by a Sunni royal family. Shia protesters claim that the Bahraini government discriminates against them. Alongside what was known as the Arab Spring, Bahrain also witnessed widespread protests by Shia demonstrators in 2011, which were suppressed with military intervention from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Fifth Fleet.