Bahrain government moves to disband Shia opposition

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The government of Bahrain has gone to court seeking to disband two Shia opposition groups.

State media said the ministry of justice and Islamic affairs had "filed a lawsuit to dissolve the Islamic Action Association and al-Wefaq".

The two groups were accused of violating the constitution and "harming social peace and national unity".

The government has used force to put down protests calling for reform of the Gulf state's Sunni monarchy.

Bahrain imposed emergency rule last month after weeks of anti-government protests in the kingdom, where many Shias accuse the monarchy of discrimination.

More than 25 people have been killed in the unrest.

'Sacrifice'

Rights groups say the government has since detained more than 400 people - including human rights activists, doctors, bloggers and opposition supporters.

The daughter of prominent activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja has said she will continue with a hunger strike she began earlier this week until her father, husband, brother-in-law and uncle are released.

They were arrested last weekend.

"In our family we were always taught that freedom is valuable and one should make sacrifices for the sake of freedom, and this is the sacrifice I am making for my family and my country," Zainab al-Khawaja told BBC Arabic.

Al-Wefaq won 18 of the 40 seats in the elected parliament last year but the members resigned their seats in protest over the government crackdown.

The parliament has little power and the cabinet is appointed by the king.

The unrest started on 14 February, when protesters - emboldened by uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt - took to the streets urging democratic reform.

Some called for the overthrow of the monarchy.

The escalating protests prompted the government to impose martial law and invite troops from Sunni-ruled neighbours such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Bahrain accuses Iran of fomenting the unrest - a charge Tehran denies.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-13084101

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Al Jazeera vertelt net wat anders:

Bahrain moves to ban main opposition party

Bahraini authorities are seeking court approval to dissolve the country's main Shia opposition group in the strongest move yet against anti-government protesters calling for change.

The justice ministry said Thursday it was seeking to ban Wefaq, which called supporters onto the streets in mass protests last month, for "undertaking activities that harmed social peace, national unity, and inciting disrespect for constitutional institutions."

The ministry also moved to ban the Islamic Action party, a Wefaq ally. Wefaq is the biggest single party in Bahrain's parliament, holding 18 out of 40 seats.

Bahrain remains under a state of emergency following a government crackdown on protests last month.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates sent troops to the Gulf island nation to help quell the demonstrations and protect facilities including oil and gas installations and financial institutions.

According to the Bahrain Human Rights Council, the Bahraini government has arrested more than 370 opponents of the regime since the introduction of emergency rule.

Ongoing crackdown

Thousands of protesters – many of them Shias frustrated with economic and political discrimination – had staged daily rallies in Manama calling for greater democracy but protests have been quelled in recent weeks with a heavy security presence on the streets.

Wefaq bemoaned the use of foreign troops which arrived less than 24 hours after Bahraini police clashed with demonstrators in one of the most violent confrontations which left seven protesters dead.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states have traded accusations with Iran of meddling and interference in Bahrain which is also home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.