Bahrain Accuses Shiite Opposition Leader of Subversion

One day after Iran expressed concern over the "increased crackdown" by the Bahraini government on political and religious figures in the country, a court in Bahrain accused one of the Shiite opposition leaders of "subversion through the spread of violence." According to the French news agency, Sheikh Ali Salman, the Secretary-General of the Al-Wefaq Society, Bahrain's largest Shiite party, was accused on Monday, December 29, of having "intended to change the regime through violence, threats, and illegal methods." The statement from the Bahraini court's prosecutor also accused Sheikh Ali Salman of "publicly insulting the Ministry of Interior" and inciting "hatred" against sections of the country's population. The statement further claimed that Sheikh Ali Salman was accused of "requesting intervention from superpowers to assist him in overthrowing the Bahraini regime." Al-Wefaq is considered the largest opposition movement in Bahrain, and Bahraini officials arrested Sheikh Ali Salman one day after he was re-elected as Secretary-General of Al-Wefaq. Reports indicate that Sheikh Ali Salman, whose arrest on Sunday led to clashes between protesters and police, is expected to remain in custody for further questioning on Tuesday. Protests against this arrest, which began last Sunday, faced police repression on Monday, with German news agency reports stating that security forces used tear gas and sound grenades to disperse the crowd. Meanwhile, on Sunday, December 28, Marzieh Afkham, the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, expressed concern over the escalation of security approaches by the Bahraini government and its regional and Western allies. According to Mehr news agency, Ms. Afkham stated that "such actions will complicate the situation" and advised Bahraini officials to "instead of adopting repetitive approaches, create an environment for serious dialogue between the government and the people." Bahrain witnessed a wave of protests in 2011 from its Shiite majority, demanding political reforms. The Bahraini government accuses Iran of inciting the Shiites in the country, a charge that Tehran has always denied.