Lawsuit to dissolve Waad filed

Manama : The Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments yesterday said that it filed a lawsuit to dissolve the National Democratic Action Society (Waad), a secular opposition party in the Kingdom.

“The Society committed gross violations in breach of the Kingdom’s laws, Constitution and National Action Charter, including incitement of acts of terrorism and promoting violent and forceful overthrow of the political regime,” the ministry said in a statement, seeking dissolution of the party. “The Society glorified convicted terrorists and saboteurs who used weapons and detonated bombs in killing and wounding several security, threatened citizens and residents’ safety and damaged private and public properties. The Society continuously violated the principles of the democratic political process, basic freedoms and people’s participation in the process,” the ministry added.

The ministry affirmed that “to maintain Bahrain’s security and sustainability of growth in all fields is the main objective for all patriots who are sincerely involved in serving community and development in Bahrain regardless of their position or inclination and in spite of such exclusionist extremist groups throughout history.”

The left-leaning former head of Waad, Ibrahim Sharif, was freed in July after he served a one-year jail term.

He had already served four years of a five-year sentence before being released under an amnesty in June last year.

On Sunday the Shura Council approved a constitutional amendment enabling military courts to try civilians accused of terror crimes.