Elderly Shiite ‘beaten to death’ by Bahrain police
\nThe Shiite group Al-Wefaq declares the death of one of its prominent leaders after police forces attacked him, being one of many aggressions committed by the Sunni regime against the opposition Shiites
\nAFP , Thursday 3 Nov 2011<\/p>\n
The elderly father of the second in command of Bahrain’s largest Shiite opposition group Al-Wefaq died of his injuries on Thursday after riot police attacked him a day earlier, the organisation said.<\/p>\n
“Ali Hasan al-Dehi, 70, was attacked by riot police forces Wednesday evening” and died early Thursday, Al-Wefaq’s website reported.<\/p>\n
His son, Hussein al-Dehi, is deputy head of Al-Wefaq.<\/p>\n
The statement said the elder Dehi had told one of his sons, who had arrived home to find him on the floor, that “he had been beaten by riot police.”<\/p>\n
Al-Wefaq member and former MP Sayed Hadi Moussaoui told AFP police were dispersing a protest in the western village of Dehi, when the man was attacked.<\/p>\n
Moussaoui said members of Dehi household were harassed several times by the authorities, adding that the dead man’s wife had been “insulted” in the past without giving further details.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy crushed pro-democracy protests, spearheaded by the majority Shiites, with the help of troops from other Gulf states, such as Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n
Twenty-four people died during the crackdown, between mid-February and mid-March, according to official figures from Manama.
\nFour protesters have since died in custody.<\/p>\n
The Gulf kingdom is awaiting a report by an independent commission of inquiry into the crackdown, which is expected on November 23.<\/p>\n
Though mass protests have ended, tensions remain high as the trials of dozens of opposition figures and protesters continue in the capital. …source<\/a><\/p>\n