Bahrain’s Al-Wefaq Urges Immediate Release of Opposition Leader
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Bahrain’s main opposition bloc al-Wefaq National Islamic Society warned the Manama regime against the consequences of continued detention of Sheikh Ali Salman, the secretary-general of the group, calling for his immediate release.
The continued detention of Sheikh Salman will only “complicate the political landscape” and deteriorate the situation in Bahrain, al-Wefaq said in a statement on Friday.
The opposition party further emphasized that there is no excuse for the regime to keep Sheikh Salman in detention as there has been no evidence proving the charges leveled against the cleric since the start of his trial.
Al-Wefaq also called on the al Khalifa regime to respond to the demand of domestic and international figures and human rights organizations as well as the majority of the Bahraini people, which is immediate release of the prominent cleric.
The Court of Appeals in Bahrain on Thursday set March 30 as the date for trial of Sheikh Salman, who is appealing a four-year jail sentence he has received for expressing his opinions.
He was detained on December 28, 2014, on charges of attempting to overthrow the ruling Al Khalifah regime and collaboration with foreign powers.
He has strongly denied the charges, stressing that he has been seeking reforms in the kingdom through peaceful means.
In June 2015, a Bahraini court sentenced Salman to four years in prison on charges such as insulting the Bahraini Interior Ministry and inciting others to break the law. He was acquitted of seeking regime change.
