| Submit your comments on this article |
| Arabia |
| Bahrain to lift ban on major opposition party |
| 2011-06-19 |
| [Al Jazeera] Bahrain's government is preparing to lift a ban on the country's second largest opposition party, ahead of a national dialogue to ease the Gulf island kingdom's political crisis. Radhi al-Mousawi, a front man for the National Democratic Action Society, or Waad, said on Saturday that the government would lift the ban on its headquarters in the capital, Manama, and later at its office in Muharraq. The state news agency BNA confirmed the news, citing the justice ministry as saying steps were being taken to lift the ban. Authorities shut down Waad in April amid a crackdown by security forces on pro-democracy protests. Welcoming political dialogue Mousawi said the group had sent a statement to the government welcoming the political dialogue, set by King Hamad ...King of Bahrain (since 14 February 2002), having previously been its emir (from 6 March 1999). He is a Sunni, while the rest of Bahrain is predominantly Shiite... bin Isa al-Khalifa to begin on July 1, and asked for the king to look into the case of Waad's jugged leader. Ibrahim Sharif is in prison along with several other opposition leaders, including Hassan Mushaimaa, the president of the Shia Islamist party al-Haq. Both are among 21 people facing trial on charges of plotting a coup with backing from "foreign terrorist groups". Bahrain's Sunni rulers have accused the protesters, backed mostly by Shia groups but also by the secular Waad party, of being backed by Iran. Opposition groups deny the charges. Bahraini opposition activists said that Waad had been under pressure to welcome the national dialogue in return for an end to the ban. Both Waad and Wefaq, the largest Iranian catspaw, have stopped short of saying they will join the talks. Some Wefaq members have said they are wary of taking part because of reports that dozens of groups will be invited. |
| Posted by:Fred |