Ali Salman is a Secretary-General of the Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, Bahrain’s main opposition political party. In late December, Salman was arrested in Bahrain's capital Manama on charges of inciting to overthrow the regime.
The UN experts suspect those charges emerged due to “the Government’s dissatisfaction with opinions that Sheikh Salman expressed in public speeches and televised interviews, in which he called for the establishment of a democratic regime and for Government accountability.”
#Bahrain: UN rights experts urge release of opposition politician detained for peaceful expression: #FreeSheikhAli http://t.co/ao7bduoI33
— AlwefaqEN (@AlWefaqEN) 4 февраля 2015
The experts said that in the event the charges against Salman are politically motivated his arrest would be a "breach of his fundamental human rights to freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of religion or belief.”
After Salman's arrest, Shiite opposition supporters organized unauthorized rallies to demand his release. Bahrain's police have arrested at least 150 protesters, according to the UNHCHR data.
Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society was responsible for anti-government protests by Shia muslims, beginning in Bahrain in 2011. Shia Muslims, the majority population in Bahrain, protested against the allegedly discriminatory policy, carried out by the Sunni Al Khalifa royal family.
#Bahrain: Protests continue to take place on nightly bases calling for the release of all prisoners of conscience pic.twitter.com/ebjmTZQYfR
— AlwefaqEN (@AlWefaqEN) 4 февраля 2015
