Political speech is not a crime: Urgent appeal to stop the trial of Sheikh Ali Salman

Political speech is not a crime: Urgent appeal to stop the trial of Sheikh Ali Salman
IFEX, 18 Jun 2018

NGOs call on Bahraini authorities to drop all charges and ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary-General of Bahrain's largest political opposition society, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society.
We the undersigned call on Bahraini authorities to drop all charges and ensure the immediate and unconditional release of Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary-General of Bahrain's largest political opposition society, al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, who has been serving a four-year prison sentence for charges in response to political speeches he delivered in 2014, and who is now facing a potential death sentence in a groundless new trial on politically motivated charges.
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Signed,
Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Bahrain Interfaith, Adil Soz - International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech, Africa Freedom of Information Centre (AFIC), Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Bytes for All (B4A), Cartoonists Rights Network International (CRNI), Center for Media Studies & Peace Building (CEMESP), Danish Pen, Freedom Forum Independent Journalism Center (IJC), Global Human Rights Geneva, Index on Censorship, Initiative for Freedom of Expression - Turkey, Maharat Foundation, MARCH, Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), Media Watch, MENA Monitoring Group, National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ), No Peace Without Justice, Norwegian PEN, Pakistan Press Foundation, PEN American Center, PEN Canada, Salam for Democracy and Human Rights, Social Media Exchange (SMEX), South East Europe Media Organisation, Vigilance for Democracy and the Civic State, World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (AMARC), Vivarta Limited

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