This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25542387
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Bahrain opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman charged | Bahrain opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman charged |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| The leader of Bahrain's main opposition movement, al-Wefaq, has been released and banned from travel after being arrested for allegedly inciting hatred. | |
| Sheikh Ali Salman had been charged with "incitement to religious hatred and spreading false news likely to harm national security", state media said. | |
| It comes after Mr Salman was detained for a day and questioned over a sermon he delivered on Friday. | It comes after Mr Salman was detained for a day and questioned over a sermon he delivered on Friday. |
| Opposition groups denounced the move as an attack on freedom of expression. | Opposition groups denounced the move as an attack on freedom of expression. |
| Al-Wefaq won 18 seats in the last election in 2010 but its MPs resigned the next year after a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations. | Al-Wefaq won 18 seats in the last election in 2010 but its MPs resigned the next year after a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations. |
| The protesters were demanding more rights and an end to discrimination against the majority Shia community by the Sunni royal family. | The protesters were demanding more rights and an end to discrimination against the majority Shia community by the Sunni royal family. |
| Forbidden to travel | Forbidden to travel |
| In a statement, the group said Mr Salman was in detention on Friday after what it called a series of illegal measures by the prosecuting authorities. | In a statement, the group said Mr Salman was in detention on Friday after what it called a series of illegal measures by the prosecuting authorities. |
| He is now forbidden to travel for the duration of the investigation. | He is now forbidden to travel for the duration of the investigation. |
| Mr Salman was summoned for questioning about a speech he made on Friday at a mosque in the capital, Manama, according to government officials. | Mr Salman was summoned for questioning about a speech he made on Friday at a mosque in the capital, Manama, according to government officials. |
| "The Al-Wefaq secretary-general has today been charged with inciting openly on the denigration of another social sect and spreading lies which may jeopardise national security and subvert public order," the state-run Bahrain News Agency reported. | "The Al-Wefaq secretary-general has today been charged with inciting openly on the denigration of another social sect and spreading lies which may jeopardise national security and subvert public order," the state-run Bahrain News Agency reported. |
| Bahrain's attorney general, Abdulrahman Al-Sayyed, was quoted as saying Mr Salman's sermon had fuelled "acts of rioting, violence and sabotage". | Bahrain's attorney general, Abdulrahman Al-Sayyed, was quoted as saying Mr Salman's sermon had fuelled "acts of rioting, violence and sabotage". |
| He was also alleged to have "accused institutions of the state of engaging in illegal practices". | He was also alleged to have "accused institutions of the state of engaging in illegal practices". |
| A government spokeswoman told the BBC that "a series of violence-related activities" took place in Bahrain on the same day as the sermon, including a bomb attack which injured a number of police officers. | A government spokeswoman told the BBC that "a series of violence-related activities" took place in Bahrain on the same day as the sermon, including a bomb attack which injured a number of police officers. |
| However, there has been no independent confirmation that the events were linked. | However, there has been no independent confirmation that the events were linked. |
| Mr Salman is also facing earlier charges of insulting the interior ministry through an exhibition about alleged human rights abuses by police. | Mr Salman is also facing earlier charges of insulting the interior ministry through an exhibition about alleged human rights abuses by police. |
| He has described the charges as politically motivated. | He has described the charges as politically motivated. |