France has condemned the
Bahraini regime’s decision to dissolve the country’s largest leftist
political party, the National Democratic Action Society (Wa’ad), stating
that the measure which comes as part of the ruling Al Khalifah
dynasty’s crackdown on dissent, prevents national reconciliation efforts
in the Persian Gulf kingdom.
“The worsening tensions in
Bahrain constitute a brake in the resumption of a broad political
dialogue that encompasses all components of Bahraini society,” French
Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal told reporters in a daily online
briefing on Friday.
He added, “This dialogue is the only way to ensure national reconciliation.”
Bahrain’s Administrative Court ruled on May 31 to dissolve Wa’ad and hand over all its properties to the treasury.
Back
in March, Bahrain’s Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments
accused Wa’ad of “incitement of acts of terrorism and promoting violent
and forceful overthrow” of the Manama regime.
It also claimed
that the political group “glorified convicted terrorists and saboteurs
who used weapons and detonated bombs in killing and wounding several
security [personnel], threatened citizens and residents' safety and
damaged private and public properties.”
The logo of Bahrain’s largest leftist political party, the National Democratic Action Society (Wa’ad)
Last
year, Bahraini authorities dissolved the country’s main Shia opposition
group, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, as well as Islamic
Enlightenment Society (Tawiya) and al-Risala Society.
On May 21, a
Bahraini court convicted prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim, who
is the spiritual leader of al-Wefaq, of illegal collection of funds and
money laundering and sentenced him to one year in jail suspended for
three years.
It also ordered the 77-year-old cleric to pay
$265,266 in fines. The court ruling sparked widespread demonstrations
across the kingdom.
Bahraini authorities stripped Sheikh Qassim of
his citizenship on June 20, 2016. They later dissolved the Islamic
Enlightenment Institution, founded by him, in addition to the opposition
al-Risala Islamic Association.
Thousands of anti-regime
protesters have held demonstrations in Bahrain on an almost daily basis
ever since a popular uprising began in the country in mid-February 2011.
They
are demanding that the Al Khalifah dynasty relinquish power and allow a
just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.
Manama
has gone to great lengths to clamp down on any sign of dissent. On March
14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were
deployed to assist Bahrain in its crackdown.
Scores of people have
lost their lives and hundreds of others sustained injuries or got
arrested as a result of the Al Khalifah regime’s crackdown.
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