Bahrain court dissolves main opposition group al-Wefaq

A court in Bahrain has dissolved the country’s main political and popular opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, almost a month after the regime suspended its activities.

The so-called administrative court in the capital, Manama, on Sunday ordered the dissolution of al-Wefaq and the seizure of its funds.

The justice ministry had suspended the opposition group’s activities on June 14.

The latest move, part of a wide crackdown on political dissent in Bahrain, is certain to prompt more protests in the country, whose embattled regime has faced an uprising since 2011.

Various human rights organizations had condemned the suspension, labeling it is part of a new crackdown on dissent.

Al-Wefaq’s secretary general, Sheikh Ali Salman, has been in prison since December 2014 on allegations of attempting to overthrow the ruling minority regime of Aal-e Khalifa and also what they called as collaborating with foreign powers, allegations which he has rejected. A court sentenced him to four years in prison in June 2015.

The spiritual leader of Bahrain, Ayatollah Sheikh Issa Qassim, has also been stripped of his Bahraini citizenship over similar accusations.

On Saturday, the public prosecutor in Bahrain said the prominent religious scholar will go on trial early next month on allegations of what they called “illegal fund collections and money laundering,” without providing an exact date.

SS