Bahrain absolute monarchy bans secularist opposition

This Turkish TV video in English says about itself:

The Newsmakers: Banning Bahraini opposition?

16 March 2017

Bahrain‘s justice ministry has taken steps to dissolve the main opposition party, Wa’ad, or the National Democratic Action Society. Bahrain says the group supports terrorism. But Wa’ad members say it’s yet another move to stamp out dissent and undermine their political work. So what’s driving the turmoil in the tiny island state?

From daily News Line in Britain, 3 June 2017:

Bahrain’s dissolution of a major political opposition society is the latest troubling move in its blatant campaign to end all criticism of the government, Amnesty International said on Wednesday.

Amnesty said: ‘The secular National Democratic Action Society (Wa’ad) was dissolved today after having issued a statement in February, saying that Bahrain was suffering from a “constitutional political crisis” amid continuous human rights violations. The group was subsequently charged with “advocating violence, supporting terrorism and incitement to encourage crimes and lawlessness”.’

‘By banning major political opposition groups, Bahrain is now heading towards total suppression of human rights,’ said Lynn Maalouf, Director of Research at Amnesty International’s Beirut Regional Office. ‘The suspension of Wa’ad is a flagrant attack on freedom of expression and association, and further proof that the authorities have no intention of delivering on promises of human rights progress.’

Amnesty added: ‘At the request of the Ministry of Justice, a Bahraini court dissolved Wa’ad following a statement it made on 14 February 2017, the anniversary of the country’s 2011 uprising, criticising the Bahraini constitution. The court also ruled to liquidate its funds.

‘On 6 March, the Ministry of Justice filed a lawsuit against Wa’ad for violating the Law on Political Associations. Wa’ad first learned about the lawsuit through the media, receiving official notification on 7 March. Wa’ad is also being charged on account of its support to the main opposition party Al Wefaq, which was dissolved on baseless charges in July 2016, and its Secretary General, Sheikh Ali Salman, an Amnesty International prisoner of conscience.

‘It also is accused of electing Ebrahim Sharif, a former prisoner of conscience, as a member of its Central Committee despite his having “lost his civil and political rights” when he was charged in 2011. The Ministry of Justice accused Wa’ad of “advocating and inciting terrorism” after it condemned the execution of three men on 15 January – referring to them as “martyrs” – and calling “martyrs” other men who died or were killed by security forces in February.’

‘The allegations made by the Ministry of Justice against Wa’ad and its leaders are baseless and absurd,’ said Lynn Maalouf. ‘Their only so-called “crime” is exercising their right to freedom of expression and association.’

Wa’ad and its leaders have repeatedly stated their opposition to violence and commitment to peaceful means and they have denied the charges. The Wa’ad party also signed the National Declaration of Non-Violence Principles in 2012 and has repeatedly condemned calls for violence and acts of violence against security forces.