Islam Times - Bahrain extends Shia cleric’s detention by 15 days

Islam Times - Bahrain’s public prosecutor has extended the detention of prominent Shia cleric and opposition figure Sheikh Ali Salman by 15 more days, despite widespread protests over the issue.

Reports on Monday said the prosecution has rejected a request by defense lawyers to release the cleric on bail.

Salman, the secretary general of the al-Wefaq political party has been in detention for more than one week.

His lawyers say prosecutors have formally charged the opposition figure with inciting a change of government by force, inciting hatred of a segment of society, inciting others to break the law, and insulting the Interior Ministry.

Al-Wefaq has rejected the charges as malicious and outright lies.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the European Union have condemned the Bahraini regime for the illegal detention of the dissident Shia cleric.

Bahrain has been witnessing almost daily protests against the Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, when an uprising began in the tiny Persian Gulf country. Since then, thousands of protesters have held numerous rallies in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.