Targeting Al Wefaq: The shrinking space for political opposition in Bahrain

On 25 February, Sheikh Ali Salman will return to a Bahraini court to face charges related to his work as the Secretary-General of Bahrain’s largest opposition party, The Al Wefaq Political Society. In recent months, the Bahraini government has increased its crackdown on political dissent, arresting senior members of this peaceful political movement in an attempt to silence the moderate opposition. In reality, the arrest and interrogation of Al Wefaq leaders like Sheikh Ali Salman, Khalil al-Marzooq, Sayed Jameel Kadhem, and Sheikh Isa Qassim has only led to a vocal outcry from an infuriated base of support and provided momentum to the sustained protest movement in the country.

As a political party, Al Wefaq enjoys substantial support from Bahrain’s Shia population, a disenfranchised majority that has been victimised by discriminatory government policies for decades. Through social welfare programs, religious leadership, and other initiatives, the majority of Bahrain’s population looks to Al Wefaq and its senior members for guidance.

Al Wefaq is also seen as offering protection against an oppressive monarchy, a role the society fostered when its members withdrew from parliament to protest government violence against peaceful dissent during the 2011 uprising. Three years later, Al Wefaq boycotted the 2014 parliamentary elections, citing continued government aggression against the population.

Given Al Wefaq’s popularity, the Bahraini government must have known that arresting leaders of the society would greatly anger its supporters. By targeting members of Al Wefaq, the ruling family has increased public resentment towards an already mistrusted government, resulting in near nightly protests and an ongoing boycott of the failed national dialogue process.

In an attempt to justify these politically motivated charges, the government has misused anti-terrorism legislation against Al Wefaq leaders. In 2013, Khalil al-Marzooq, then deputy secretary-general, was charged with criticizing the Bahraini government after being interrogated for seven straight hours. While he was ultimately acquitted of terrorism-related charges in 2014, the government has continued its efforts to silence this peaceful critic, going so far as to suspend the activities of the newly-launched Alarab news channel for interviewing al-Marzooq in early February.

Then, in December 2014, the Bahraini government arrested Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary-General of Al Wefaq and a vehement opponent of violence. To this day, the peaceful politician remains in detention while facing charges of attempting to overthrow the Bahraini government.

This forceful targeting of the political opposition exposes the fact that the Bahraini government fears the influence such groups enjoy over the general population. This fear was put on display when the Government of Bahrain expelled US Assistant Secretary of State Tom Malinowski from the country for meeting with members of Al Wefaq without permitting a government representative to be present. It would seem as if the Bahraini government was trying to stop the opposition from having a frank conversation with the United States, one that undoubtedly included discussion of the various human rights violations in the country.

Ultimately, these repressive policies will backfire. By focusing on silencing dissent and dissolving political opposition, the Bahraini government runs the risk of further destabilizing the country. Contrary to what the government would have the international community believe, Al Wefaq has condemned violence at every turn. By imprisoning these peaceful, moderate voices, the government opens the door for discussion of previously-dismissed aggressive ideas.

Bahrain’s authoritative style of government may satisfy the ruling family’s desire for power in the short term, but continuing to violently suppress peaceful dissent will only strengthen the population’s resolution to demand basic human rights. The Government of Bahrain cannot stifle dissent through arrests and intimidation. The country’s only way forward is a political solution respecting and representing the rights of all Bahrainis. The government can start this process by permitting Al Wefaq to function without harassment, by releasing Sheikh Ali Salman from prison, and by including the representative organization at the negotiating table.

The author is Executive Director at Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.