Bahrain appellate court orders closure of leftist party

MANAMA, Bahrain

Judicial authorities in Bahrain have ordered the dissolution of the opposition National Democratic Action Society (Waad), members of which were convicted earlier for “committing grave violations” and “supporting terrorism”.

On Monday, Bahrain’s Court of Cassation dismissed a final appeal lodged by the party against two earlier convictions handed down against it last year.

In its final ruling, the court ordered that the group be dissolved and that all its funds and properties -- including the Al-Ayyam newspaper -- be confiscated.

The authorities first accused Waad, Bahrain’s largest leftist political party, of "supporting terrorism" after the party, in a tweet, described militants -- who had been sentenced to death for attacking police -- as "martyrs for the homeland".

In earlier statements, Waad described the accusations against it as “baseless” and “inconsistent with the principles of democratic political action”.

MANAMA, Bahrain

On Monday, Bahrain’s Court of Cassation dismissed a final appeal lodged by the party against two earlier convictions handed down against it last year.

In its final ruling, the court ordered that the group be dissolved and that all its funds and properties -- including the Al-Ayyam newspaper -- be confiscated.

In earlier statements, Waad described the accusations against it as “baseless” and “inconsistent with the principles of democratic political action”.