Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini Minor Criminal Court adjourned on Thursday (September 8, 2016) the trial of Islamic Ulama Council (highest Shiite religious authority in Bahrain) member, Shiite cleric Sheikh Ali Rahma until September 20, 2016.

Rahma is facing charges of "illegal gathering" at the ongoing sit-in protest held outside the house of the Bahraini Shia spiritual leader Sheikh Isa Qassim, who was stripped of his Bahraini citizenship last June.

The authorities had summoned Sheikh Rahma for interrogation on June 23 and 25, 2016, a few days after they revoked Ayatollah Qassim's nationality.

The authorities have launched a widespread campaign in the past two months against the opposition, represented by the Shiite-majority in the country, taking a series of harsh measures such as, toughening the opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman's prison sentence, revoking Sheikh Qassim's nationality, dissolving the main political opposition group Al-Wefaq Society, as well two other Shiite religious societies, Al-Tawiya and Al-Risala. These moves are considered to be the harshest measures taken against the opposition since the Bahraini authorities, backed by both Saudi and Emirati forces, crushed protests in March 2011.

Arabic Version