A large number of people have taken to the streets in Bahrain to attend the funeral of a political dissident who reportedly died as a result of injuries sustained under torture while in custody.
Thousands of Bahrainis took part in the funeral procession of Hassan Hayki in the capital, Manama, on Tuesday despite desperate attempts to force his family into holding a private service, Lualua television network reported.
Bahraini forces deployed dozens of armored military vehicles to the streets leading to the cemetery in Hoora district of Manama in an attempt to stop people from joining the procession.
The participants chanted slogans against the ruling family, and a mourner was arrested following the funeral procession.
Hayki’s family attributed his death to the severe torture he was subjected to during criminal investigations over the past 20 days, which his family said had left him unable to speak and move.
Elsewhere in Bahrain, in the village of al-Musalla, which lies on the western outskirts of Manama, people staged a demonstration in protest at Hayki’s death and the ongoing crackdown on the opposition.
Also on Tuesday, Bahraini judicial officials summoned two Shia clerics, identified as Sheikh Ali Hamidan and Sheikh Ali al-Jufairi, on charges of incitement of hatred against the government.
Editor's note: This article has been edited from the source material.
