Bahrain Mirror: The Appeal Civil Court adjourned in its first hearing on Tuesday (September 6, 2016) the case of dissolving Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society until September 22.

During the first session of the appeal, Al-Wefaq's lawyers demanded, in a request of urgency, to access the society's headquarters, to present their defense. Meanwhile, the representative of the state apparatus requested that the appeal is denied, claiming it was filed in an irrelevant party.

The supreme Administrative Court had ruled on June 17, 2016 the closure of all Al-Wefaq headquarters, the reservation of all accounts and fixed and mobile funds, and the suspension of all its activities.

Closing Al-Wefaq and later dissolving it, coincided with the most violent crackdown by the authorities against the opposition and Shiite majority, since the arrival of the Peninsula Shield Forces to Bahrain in March 2011, in an attempt to crush the protesters at the Pearl Roundabout.

During the recent campaign, the sentence against the opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman was harshened and increased to 9 years of imprisonment. Two Shiite Islamic societies, Al-Risala and Al-Tawiya, were dissolved, and so was Al-Wefaq society, which is the largest political opposition party in the country. Besides, the authorities revoked the nationality of the leader of the Shiite community in Bahrain, Ayatollah Sheikh Isa Qassim; which prompted international condemnations.

Meanwhile, Britain and the United States, allies of Bahrain, expressed their concern by the said measures. Washington, for its part, publically demanded Bahrain to reverse these measures.

Arabic Version