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| Arabia |
| Bahrain jails opposition chief despite outcry |
| 2015-06-18 |
[NATION.PK] A court in Bahrain on Tuesday juggedYou have the right to remain silent... prominent opposition leader Ali Salman, whose arrest drew US and Iranian condemnation and sparked protests across the tiny but strategic Gulf kingdom. Salman was sentenced to four years in jail for inciting disobedience and hatred in the state, a judicial source said. But he was acquitted of the more serious charge of seeking to overthrow the monarchy and change the political system. Salman, 49, was also found guilty of "insulting an official body," the source said, referring to the interior ministry. His arrest on December 28 drew condemnation from both the United States and Iran, as well as human rights ...which are often intentionally defined so widely as to be meaningless... groups. It also triggered demonstrations across the kingdom. Salman was present for the verdict, which was delivered amid tight security outside the Manama court, witnesses said. He heads the Al-Wefaq Shia political association, which once held the most seats in Bahrain's parliament. Its 18 MPs walked out in February 2011 to protest violence used against demonstrators during nationwide protests. The group boycotted the last elections in November. On Tuesday, Al-Wefaq slammed the "false" ruling against Salman and demanded his release. "We reject anything less than a non-guilty verdict for Sheikh Ali Salman. We consider this a false and injust ruling that is based on an illogical case and lacks sound foundations," Al-Wefaq said in a statement. |
| Posted by:Fred |