Bahrain court dissolves main Shi’ite opposition group Wefaq-Arabiyah

Bahraini daily Al-Ayam said Sunday’s ruling calls for the Shia group’s assets to be liquidated and transferred to the state treasury.

Bahrain’s justice ministry rejected the charges and vowed to keep up measures against what it said those who would try to divide the country on sectarian basis and finances terrorism.

As reported by The Associated Press (AP), the order against al-Wefaq marks one of the sharpest blows yet against civil society activists in the Sunni-ruled island nation, which was rocked by widespread protests led by its Shiite majority demanding political reforms five years ago. Its location is strategic as Iran lies on the other side of the Persian Gulf.

Al-Wefaq representatives could not immediately be reached, and government officials did not respond to a request for comment.

“The ruling by the Al Khalifa regime to dissolve al-Wefaq… is indicative of the authoritarian thinking that rules Bahrain”, Sheikh Hussain Aldaihi was quoted as saying by the Arabic-language al-Ahed news website on Monday.

Political parties are banned in Bahrain, as in other Gulf Arab monarchies, so Al-Wefaq has the status of an association.

Amnesty International and Human Rights First were among international rights watchdogs that had viced concern over the legal proceedings against Al-Wefaq and the government’s crackdown on opponents.

Bahrain on Monday dismissed as “unacceptable interference” US and British criticism of its decision to dissolve the main Shi’ite Muslim opposition party, as senior clerics warned the Shi’ite majority was under threat.

Prominent human rights advocate Nabeel Rajab was detained last month and is now facing trial on charges of insulting a state institution, insulting a foreign country and disseminating false rumours in time of war.

The spiritual leader of the group, Sheikh Issa Qassim, has also been stripped of his Bahraini citizenship over similar accusations. Iran and Hezbollah deny any involvement in Bahrain’s unrest.

“I am deeply concerned” by the court decision, said Johnson, urging the Bahraini government “to guarantee and protect political freedoms for all its citizens”.

A state department report delivered to Congress in June found Bahrain’s national reconciliation efforts since 2011 had stalled, and it had not implemented recommendations to protect free expression.