Bahraini state information minister denies allegations

Minister of State for Information Affairs and Government's Official Spokesperson Sameera Ebrahim bin Rajab denied the baseless accusations made by Wefaq Secretary-General Ali Salman. She deplored the accusations, dismissing the allegations as "pure fabrication for political consumption".Ali Salman accused the Government of Bahrain of sacking over five thousand Shias, including hundreds in other GCC countries, claiming the sacking was at the demand of the Government of Bahrain.In a statement to CNN Arabic, the minister described the allegations as an "affront and humiliation" to the Shias themselves. Wefaq secretary-general alleged on his twitter account that the "Government of Manama" conducted a campaign to "sack Shias in Bahrain and the GCC states".He claimed that Wefaq surveyed, in its statistics, over five thousand sacked Shia employees, including hundreds who were working in the GCC states. "Such statements represent a big affront to Shias themselves first and foremost", the minister said, adding that the Shias enjoy all their rights and duties as full-fledged citizens. "What applies to Shias in Bahrain also applies in other GCC countries, for they are Arabs who exist in total freedom and enjoy all their rights on par with all the social segments", she said.In the statement, the minister urged to stop what she called "politicking to achieve designs and goals to the detriment of Shias."These are deliberate statements which are part of a systematic campaign of lies since the arrival of representatives of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)in Bahrain", she said. "What they said amount to a criminal act", she said, dismissing the allegations as contravening all national, humanitarian and political work.