Bahrain's Sheikh Ali Salman taken to Interrogation again; Al Wefaq condemns it as Unacceptable

AhlulBayt News Agency - Bahraini authorities have summoned the jailed leader of the main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, over his recent tweets, calling them “violations.”

On Sunday, Bahraini prosecutor general questioned senior Shia cleric Sheikh Ali Salman over alleged violations in what he has recently posted on his twitter account, the official Bahrain news agency reported.

No new charges were brought against Salman and the prosecutor ordered him to be returned to prison.

Earlier in the day, a Bahraini official referred Salman to the public prosecution over the tweets.

Meanwhile, the al-Wefaq bloc slammed the summoning, saying it violates Bahrain’s constitution and is “against all international conventions related to freedom of opinion and expression, which Manama has pledged to abide by.”

Al Wefaq National Islamic Society said that taking the opposition leader and prisoner of conscience Sheikh Ali Salman to interrogation again in the Public Prosecution Office today is unacceptable.

This measure violates the Bahraini constitution and national law, as well as international covenants related to freedom of opinion and expression and which Bahrain is signatory to.

Summoning Sheikh Ali Salman from his prison cell and making a new case against him after one year of detention goes against international recommendations, including of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of opinion and expression.

Sheikh Ali Salman has not committed a crime or practiced criminal acts. According to the Ministry of Interior, he has been taken to interrogation for his tweets about his opinion regarding the necessity of reform and democracy in Bahrain. Thus, this is evidently a trial against the freedom of expression, opinion and thought. Article 69 of the Bahraini Penal Code states: “Restrictions defined in this or any other law on the freedom of expression shall be construed as limited to those which are compatible with the values of a democratic society. The exercise of the freedom of expression can only be punished through restrictions that are so limited”.

Al Wefaq outlines that its Secretary General has always expressed humanitarian rights, values and principles, his most renowned expressions include his repeated calls for dialogue, coexistence, democratic transition, social justice, equality, respect of human rights and national unity.

In his tweets, Sheikh Ali Salman focused on values of peace and love and shared Martin Luther King Jr.’s quotes about freedom and justice.

Al Wefaq stresses that this new measure must be halted and its Secretary General must be immediately released since his detention lacks justification. Salman is a prominent patriotic leader who represents a major national guarantee to maintain coexistence, civil peace and dialogue.

Sheikh Salman was arrested on December 28, 2014 on charges of attempting to overthrow the ruling Al Khalifah regime and collaborating with foreign powers. He has strongly denied the charges, emphasizing that he has been seeking reforms in the kingdom through peaceful means.

In June 2015, a Bahraini court sentenced him 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.

Anti-regime protesters have been holding demonstrations on the streets of Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling on the Al Khalifah family to relinquish power.

The ongoing heavy-handed crackdown on peaceful demonstrations has left scores of people dead, hundreds injured, and many more incarcerated.




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