Sheikh Abdul Amir al-Jamri (/ˈɑːbdəl əˈmɪər æl ˈdʒɑːmri/ ⓘ AHB-dəl ə-MEER al JAHM-ree; Arabic: شيخ عبدالأمير الجمري; 1 March 1938 – 18 December 2006) was one of the most prominent Shia clerics and opposition leaders in Bahrain.

Born in the village of Bani Jamra, al-Jamri became a Hussaini khatib (Shia preacher) after finishing primary school.

The events began in the form of petitions in 1992 and 1994 calling for restoration of the parliament and reinstatement of the suspended constitution, but led to widespread violence and the death of 40 individuals.

The new emir, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, proposed a reform plan, the National Action Charter of Bahrain, which was accepted by the opposition and later gained widespread popular support.

[8] In his book The Story of My Life, al-Jamri devoted a section to speak about his marriage, in which he described it as a happy one and praised his wife for her patience and loyalty.

[1] In 1962, following the death of his mentor, al-Jamri travelled to Iraq to study Islamic theology and law in the religious institute of Al Najaf.

[1][5] Mentored for two years by Ayatollah Mohammad Baqir al-Sadr and Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei, he reached the stage of independent research (Bahth al-kharij; Arabic: بحث الخارج), the highest level of study in religious seminaries.

[1] In the country, al-Jamri used the pseudonym Abdulla Mansoor Mohammed in order to avoid trouble when passing through customs in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Iraq, where it was believed that the prefix "Abdul" should only be used with the name of God.

[1] Between 1973 and 1981, al-Jamri was a frequent host on Bahrain TV, giving religious talks on Islamic occasions such as Ramadan and Ashura.

[1] Al-Jamri and five others formed the "Religious Bloc" which adopted a wide program including supporting labour's union and demands, forbidding trade of alcoholic beverages, and separating men and women in education institutes.

The bloc also called for prohibiting male doctors from treating female patients (especially in pregnancy) as well as other demands connected to traditional Islamic customs.

[12] In August 1975, the constitution was suspended and the assembly dissolved[13] by the Emir, Isa bin Salman al-Khalifa, after it had rejected the State Security Law.

[14] It gave police wide powers of arrest and allowed individuals to be held in prison without trial or charge for up to three years (renewable[5]) for suspicion "that they might be a threat to the state".

[5] Human rights activists and opposition leaders made repeated allegations of systematic torture, the arbitrary arrest of thousands, and assassinations, all of which were denied by the authorities.

[5] In 1977, the government offered al-Jamri the opportunity to serve as a judge at the High Religious Court of Bahrain (Shia branch).

[15] Al-Jamry however opened his house for daily meetings, also offering a weekly space for public debates; he continued to do so despite several government attempts to stop him.

[4][15] The authorities then ordered al-Jamri's arrest; on 6 September, Colonel Adel Flaifel and a number of security forces arrived at his house.

[14] In 1992, a petition was signed by 280 leading figures in civil society, demanding the restoration of parliament, reinstatement of the suspended constitution, the release of political prisoners, and the start of a reconciliation dialogue.

[17] Violence broke out in June 1994 when riot police used tear gas on 1,500 demonstrators who had organised a sit-in in front of the Ministry of Labor.

In 1995, following clashes between security forces and students, the government accused al-Jamri of having links to Iran and seeking to establish an "Islamic republic" in Bahrain.

[5] Nevertheless, on 1 April the government imposed a blockade on al-Jamri's home of Bani Jamra, placing him and 18 members of his family under house arrest.

[4] Along with other opposition figures he was released on 25 September 1995, following a deal with the government to calm down the situation in return for opening up talks on the restoration of parliament.

[1] On 23 October, al-Jamri and other released opposition activists began a 10-day hunger strike in his house to protest what they called the government's failure to fulfil its pledges.

[6] On 21 January 1996 al-Jamri was detained again along with 7 other opposition leaders, including Abdulwahab Hussain and Hassan Mushaima, following the collapse of the talks.

[27] On 8 February, al-Jamri and 3 other opposition leaders —Abdulla al-Ghuraifi, Abdulwahab Hussain and Ali Rabea— met with the emir to discuss his reform plans, the National Action Charter of Bahrain.

[16] On 27 January 2003, al-Jamri was transferred from Germany to Sultan bin Abdulaziz Humanitarian City in Saudi Arabia,[4][34] where his medical condition improved slightly.

[15] Ultimately, it began at 6:00 in Muqsha village before moving along the west side of Budaiya highway to Bani Jamra, where al-Jamri was buried at 10:00.

[6][15][35] Following the 2002 deterioration of his health, al-Jamri's position as a political and religious leader of Bahrain's Shia opposition was taken over by his lifelong friend, Ayatollah Isa Qassim.