Bahrain issues final decision to dissolve main opposition group

The Bahraini Court of Cassation yesterday upheld a previous ruling to dissolve the opposition National Democratic Action Society (Waad) and confiscate its assets including the Al-Ayyam newspaper for “committing serious violations and supporting terrorism”, local media reported.

The court rejected an appeal filed by Waad against two previous rulings to dissolve it.

In May 2017, the Bahraini Court of First Instance issued a ruling to dissolve Waad. Later, in October 2017, the court of appeals upheld the decision.

In February of the same year, the Bahraini Court of Cassation upheld a ruling to dissolve the opposition Al-Wefaq Association for “deviating from political activity to incitement to violence which could lead to sectarian strife in the country”.

The Bahraini authorities accused Waad of “supporting terrorism” after the organisation described militants sentenced to death as “martyrs of the homeland”.

Waad said in a previous statement that it had been accused of committing “grave violations” since its establishment, almost 16 years ago, and that no action had been taken against it which “proves that the lawsuit against it is unfounded”.

The organisation described the court’s decision as a “severe blow to political action in Bahrain”.

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