Protests Continue in Bahrain over Salman’s Detention

(FNA)- Bahrainis took to the streets in protest against the continued detention of Sheikh Ali Salman, the secretary-general of the main opposition bloc al-Wefaq, who is scheduled to stand trail on April 22.

Bahrainis staged protests in many areas across Bahrain on Sunday against the detention of Sheikh Ali Salman. The protesters, carrying pictures of Sheikh Ali Salman, called for his immediate release.

Sheikh Salman was detained by Bahraini forces on December 28, 2014, two days after he was re-elected as the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society party’s secretary-general.

The opposition leader is charged with seeking to overthrow the Al Khalifa regime and collaborating with foreign powers. The opposition leader strongly denies the allegations.

The anti-government protesters also held banners calling for the release of all political prisoners.

Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the al-Khalifa dynasty.

Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states - Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar - were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 2011, to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.

So far, tens of protesters have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and thousands of others have been injured.