Abdul Amir al-Jamri

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Sheikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri (Arabic: عبدالأمير الجمري) (b. 1937-December 18, 2006) was the 'spiritual leader' of Bahrain's Twelver Shi'a population and the 1990s Intifada. He is the father of Mansoor Al-Jamri, editor-in-chief of the Al Wasat daily newspaper.

[edit] Biography

Al-Jamri was born in the village of Bani Jamra, Bahrain, in 1937. In 1962 he began studies at the Najaf Religious Institute in Iraq, where he remained until 1973. In 1973 al-Jamri became a member of Bahrain's parliament, the National Assembly of Bahrain, until the parliament was dissolved in August of 1975.

Beginning in 1977, al-Jamri served as a judge at the High Religious Court of Bahrain, a position he would hold through 1998. In 1992, al-Jamri joined forces with Islamists, liberals and leftists to draft and submit a petition to the ruler of Bahrain calling for restoration of the parliament and reinstatement of the suspended constitution. In 1994, he helped re-launch another petition, signed by 25,000 Bahraini citizens calling for restoration of parliament and reinstatement of suspended constitution.

On April 1, 1995, al-Jamri was placed under house arrest for two weeks, and then transferred to a detention center. He was released, along with other opposition figures on September 25, 1995, following a deal with the government of Bahrain to calm down the situation in return for opening up talk on restoration of parliament. On January 21, 1996 he was detained again following the collapse of the talks.

On July 7, 1999 al-Jamri was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and fined $15 million. He was released a day later and placed under house arrest until January 23, 2001. Less than one month later he called on the people to support the reforms proposed by the King of Bahrain, Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifah. On February 14, 2002, al-Jamri stated his disappointment with the issuing of a new constitution that he said fell short of the demands raised by the opposition.

In June of 2002, al-Jamri suffered a stroke followed by two more strokes in later months. He died at home on December 16, 2006.