28 Mar 2024
Thursday 23 April 2015 - 11:16
Story Code : 161737

Iran concerned over extension of Sheikh Salman custody

Iranhas expressed grave concernover the case of Bahrains detained opposition leader, Sheikh Ali Salman,stressing that crackdown on political activists will nothelp improvethesituationin the country.

The extension of Salman's remand in custodyis a nonstarter when it come tosettling problems inBahrain, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Marziyeh Afkham said after the trial of the detained opposition leader, which was set to resume on Wednesday, was adjourned until May 20.

Sheikh Salman, who serves as the secretary general of Bahrains main opposition bloc, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, was arrested in December 2014 on charges of seeking regime change and collaborating with foreign powers. Salman and his party have vehemently rejected the allegation.

The continuation of the security situation and police-state conditionsin Bahrain will further complicate matters in the country, the spokeswoman further stressed.
She further called on Bahraini authorities to turn to dialog rather thanrepression, saying, Setting aside the security approach in Bahrain and the governments consideration for dialog and peoples demands are of utmost significance.

The Bahraini government had better take confidence-building measures to prepare the groundfor dialog and defuse the tense security situation in the country, Afkham suggested.

In late May, a court in Bahrain adjourned Salmans trial until April 22 and extended his remand.

The opposition leaders arrest has triggered condemnation inside and outside Bahrain, with leaders, governments and international organizations across the world calling for his immediate release.

Bahrain has witnessed protests on an almost daily basis against the Al Khalifa regime since early 2011.

The Manama regime has been severely criticized by human rights groups for its harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters, which has claimed the lives of scores of people so far.

In its recent report titled, Behind the Rhetoric: Human rights abuses in Bahrain continue unabated, Amnesty Internationalcensured Manama for resorting to torture, arbitrary detentionsand the excessive use of force against peaceful government critics, including some as young as 17.

By Press TV
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