Starting the New Year on the wrong foot

While the rest of the world was distracted by the holiday festivities, Sheikh Ali Salman, Shia opposition leader of al-Wefaq was arrested on 28^th December 2014. The 49 year old has been the leader of al-Wefaq for a decade. He was remanded in custody and charged with “incitement to promote the change of the political system by force, threats and other illegal means”; “public incitement to loathing and contempt of a sect of people which will result in disrupting public disorder”; “publicly inciting others to disobey the law” and “publicly insulting the Interior Ministry.” This came following interrogations at the Ministry of Interior’s Criminal Investigations Directorate in connection to statements made in his speeches in 2012 and 20141, including at the most recent party General Assembly meeting on 26^th December.

Attorney General Nayef Yousef Mahmoud said the head of the al-Wefaq political society would be detained pending further investigation by prosecutors. The Public Prosecution issued a statement saying that he confirmed he was in contact with a number of overseas governments and political organizations to discuss Bahrain’s internal affairs with the aim of achieving active interference in Bahrain and that he did not inform the authorities of these communications.

The UN's human rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein warned Sheikh Salman's arrest risked "intensifying the fraught political scene" in Bahrain.

This has triggered a series of riots and protests in the capital city of Manama and the surrounding areas calling for the release of Sheikh Ali Salman. On the 6^th of January, there were clashes between security forces in the village of Bilad al Qadeem, south of Manama. This has led to several protestors being injured.

This has been a rather grim start to 2015 according to veteran human rights activist Nabeel Rajab and leading opposition activist, Maryam al-Khawaja, also warned of a very serious escalation of the continuing crisis in Bahrain.

A national dialogue process intended to find a solution to the crisis is currently at an impasse, with the opposition accusing the ruling al-Khalifa family of wanting to retain all powers, and angry Shia youth are increasingly turning to violence.

In a joint statement, opposition groups led by al-Wefaq said the authorities were "moving backwards to a police state instead of taking steps towards a political solution and an end to serious human rights violations against citizens".

National dialogue fell apart in 2013 after authorities arrested al-Wefaq's Assistant Secretary General. Nothing materialised from this meeting, and it quickly became apparent that the Bahrain government was using the meeting between the Crown Prince and al-Wefaq to appease the international community. Wefaq decided to boycott the November 2014 elections - a move with some local support, but which earned them international criticism.

Britain announced in early December 2014 that Bahrain will host its first naval base in the region since 1971. The base will cost Bahrain £15 million. This of course was denounced by al-Wefaq, other opposition groups as well as 26 British MPs  who stated that it will "send a message that the UK Government is not interested in justice, rule of law and reconciliation in Bahrain."

However al-Wefaq alone was singled out for its criticism by British Ambassador Iain Lindsey who stated, "I can only assume that Al-Wefaq are blissfully unaware that the US 5th Fleet, our considerably larger ally in the fight against ISIL, or Da'ash, is already based in Bahrain. Or that Al-Wefaq are opposed to the 60 nation coalition against Da'ash, or the 30 nation Combined Maritime Force based in Bahrain."