Bahrain Mirror: The Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society stated that the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a bombastic statement that reflects the regime's shock at the wide international reaction at the conviction of Al-Wefaq's Secretary-General, Sheikh Ali Salman. Al-Wefaq further stressed that the Foreign Ministry's statement included false information and accusations against Salman which were not mentioned by the judiciary, which reveals the severity of the crisis in the country.

Al-Wefaq highlighted that the Foreign Ministry's statement itself constitutes a crime due to the false accusations and fabricated charges against Sheikh Ali Salman, aimed at misleading the public opinion and hiding the truth, which clearly shows that Sheikh Salman's trial is purely political and lacks the minimum standards of justice.

The recordings presented by the regime as evidence against Salman were clearly tampered with and taken out of context. The defense panel presented a video recording to reveal this but the court refused to listen to their defense.

Al-Wefaq also pointed out that the charges raised against Sheikh Salman are related to freedom of expression and demands for political reforms that the opposition leader called for in a civilized and peaceful manner in order to put an end to the tyranny, monopoly of power, corruption, marginalization, lack of national consensus and due to Bahrain's need for a conclusive political reform in the country, which is currently non-existent.

Furthermore, the defense lawyers as well as the well-known international human rights organizations, mainly the UN's Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), have clearly said in the two statements they issued on June 5 and 15, 2015, in addition to five UN special rapporteurs, statements by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Human Rights First that the charges raised against Sheikh Salman have no evidence or grounds and that the court has not provided the minimum standards of a fair trial.

Al-Wefaq also highlighted that freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration is crushed in Bahrain. At least two thousand Bahrainis are jailed for political reasons or reasons related to freedom of expression. Peaceful demonstration is not allowed in Bahrain and anyone who criticizes the government's wrong policies or its institutions on Twitter or by speeches is to be pursued and arrested.

Al-Wefaq further stressed that the Foreign Ministry's statement further reveals a clear desire to block any reform horizon and the lack of will in finding clear solutions as the authorities attempt to defame a national leader, Sheikh Ali Salman. This reveals the true image which reflects a lack of reform. Reform requires a true desire and belief from all sides and cannot be expected by signing international conventions and declarations or through nominal official institutions that whitewash abuses and corruption.

The Arabic Issue