In a message released on the fourth anniversary of the uprising in Bahrain, Sheikh Ali Salman said persistence on demands is the only way to restore the rights of people and achieve freedom in Bahrain.
The message comes a week after the 49-year-old senior opposition leader called for the international community to support the people of Bahrain in their national drive to establish democracy in the country.
Salman’s next court session has been adjourned to late February.
He was arrested on December 28, 2014, after Manama accused him of seeking regime change and collaborating with foreign powers.
Salman’s arrest has triggered massive condemnation inside and outside the monarchy, with leaders, governments and international organizations across the world calling for his immediate release.
On January 31, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry issued a statement saying that 72 people were stripped of their citizenship because they failed “in their allegiance duties towards the kingdom” and “harmed its interests.”
Bahraini courts have sentenced more than 200 activists to long-term prison sentences on charges of involvement in terrorist activities and acting against national security. At least 70 activists have received life imprisonment since the uprising began in 2011.
A recent report by Human Rights Watch said Bahraini courts have become more active in sustaining repression in the country.
