On Thursday, protesters staged a rally in the village of Buri, which lies southwest of the capital, Manama, carrying images of slain pro-democracy activists as well as Bahrain’s national flags.
Additionally, protesters staged a rally in the town of A'ali, situated about two miles southeast of the capital, in a show of protest against the continued imprisonment of prominent Shia cleric and opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman.
The marchers, carrying portraits of Salman and Bahrain’s national flags, demanded the freedom of Salman, who heads the country’s main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.
They also called for a peaceful democratic transition in Bahrain.
Sheikh Salman was arrested in December 2014 on charges of attempting to overthrow the Manama regime and collaborating with foreign powers. He denies the charges, saying he has been seeking reforms in the kingdom through peaceful means.
In June 2015, a Bahraini court sentenced him to four years in prison on charges such as insulting the Bahraini Interior Ministry and inciting others to break the law. He was acquitted of seeking regime change.
The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has called on the Manama regime to immediately release the al-Wefaq leader.
Since February 14, 2011, thousands of protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain, calling for the al-Khalifah family to step down.
In March of that year, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to the country to assist the Bahraini regime in its crackdown on the protests.
Editor's note: This article has been edited from the source material.
