[JURIST] A Bahraini court on Tuesday issued a three month suspension of the group Al-Wefaq. [party website]. The court found that the group has engaged [Al Jazeera] in “terrorism, extremism, and violence.” The ban is pending a verdict to determine whether it will be required to dissolve or allowed to continue.

Political tensions remain high between the Bahrain government and Al-Wefaq [JURIST news archive] following protests that began in 2011. Last February Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior initiated a criminal investigation [JURIST report] into alleged criminal content posted by the country’s main opposition group, Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society. Also last year a group of UN human rights experts urged [JURIST report] the Bahrain government to release detained opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman. The human rights experts criticized the arrest and prosecution as a violation of Salman’s right to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of religion. In January of 2015 the Bahrain Ministry of Justice commenced [JURIST report] the trial of Salman for his role in promoting an overthrow of the current Bahrain political system. Salman was charged [JURIST report] in January for inciting a change of regime by non-peaceful means. In October 2014 a Bahrain court ordered [JURIST report] Al-Wefaq to suspend all activities.