Key Bahraini opposition figure handed 4yr jail term

June 17th, 2015

David Schulberg

Bahrain’s main opposition party Al Wefaq leader Sheikh Ali Salman. (Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed)

A court in Bahrain has sentenced Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman to four years in prison. He was convicted of insulting the Interior Ministry and of inciting others to break the law in the aftermath of the 2011 uprising.

“The Higher Criminal Court sentenced the secretary general of
one of Bahrain’s political societies to four years
imprisonment,” advocate general Haroon Al-Zayani told state
news agency BNA.

The opposition figure escaped a more serious charge of inciting
violence and calling for the overthrow of the monarchy. Had he
been found guilty, he could have been sentenced to life in
prison. Salman’s lawyer, Abdullah al-Shamlawi says his client can
appeal the ruling.

Salman is known to have been instrumental in organizing the 2011
uprising against Bahrain’s Sunni monarchy. The 49-year-old was
the secretary general of the Al-Wefaq opposition group when he
was arrested in late December.

“Keeping Ali Salman in jail means delaying any political
solution to come and reflects the government’s rejection to a
political solution,” Al-Wefaq member Khalil Marzooq said.

The Bahraini group lambasted the ruling, saying it could lead to
further violence. The opposition insists that Salman’s words,
used for leveling charges against him, were taken out of context.

ALL #Sheikh_Ali_Salman
did was promote Justice-Equality yearn Democracy-in return
#Bahrain
handed him 4YEAR SENTENCE pic.twitter.com/zMH702B587

— #HumanRights4ALL (@OneLadyLibra) June
16, 2015

“The sentence gives a new lease on life to the crisis and
gives greater legitimacy to mobilize. The people have no choice
but to continue in their peaceful popular movement,”
Al-Wefaq said in a statement on its official website. “People
will not return to their homes and will not relent in their
demands.”

Al-Wefaq, which boycotted last year’s parliamentary elections,
wants greater power-sharing between elected lawmakers and the
monarchy, the release of political prisoners and a prime minister
chosen by elected officials.

The decision to jail the opposition Shiite figure was slammed by
Amnesty International UK, who said the decision, “has again
demonstrated the Bahraini authorities’ disregard for the right to
freedom of expression.”

The organization considers Salman to be a prisoner of conscience,
who has been detained solely for expressing his views peacefully.
The rights group specifically added that the Shiite leader’s
detention violates Bahrain’s obligations under Article 19 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which
Bahrain is a state party.

Bahrain jails main opposition leader Ali Salman for peacefully
expressing his opinion http://t.co/KKWP9EEOA8 pic.twitter.com/eSSRxSUlSs

— Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) June
16, 2015

“Today’s verdict is shocking. It is yet another clear example
of Bahrain’s flagrant disregard for its international
obligations. Sheikh Ali Salman has been sentenced solely for
peacefully expressing his opinion,” said Said Boumedouha,
Amnesty International Middle East and North Africa Deputy
Director.

“For a country that has expressed outrage at criticism of its
human rights records, Bahrain has not hesitated to suppress
political opposition and muzzle critical voices at every
opportunity,” Boumedouha added.

On eve of jailing Sheikh Ali Salman to 4 yrs, US moves to lift
arms embargo on regime accused by its own BICI of systematic
torture #Bahrain

— Saeed Shehabi (@SaeedShehabi) June
16, 2015

The case against Salman had previously attracted international
attention, with Iran blasting the process and the EU warning that
it could destabilize the security situation in Bahrain.
Meanwhile, the US, which has its Navy’s 5th Fleet stationed in
Bahrain, called for Salman to be tried in a “just and
transparent way,” according to AP.

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Key Bahraini opposition figure handed 4yr jail term
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