Bahrain to auction banned opposition’s assets

DUBAI: Bahrain will auction the confiscated assets of the main opposition in the Gulf kingdom after it was dissolved over terrorism-related charges, a judicial source said on Saturday.

An administrative court on Thursday ordered the auctioning of Al-Wefaq´s assets to be held on October 26, the source said.

The group´s dissolution in July drew strong criticism from UN chief Ban Ki-moon and Bahrain´s allies in Washington and London, as well as Iran which Manama accuses of meddling in its affairs.

After the latest court decision, security forces seized Al-Wefaq´s assets including its headquarters outside Manama and two other offices in villages, the source said. The accusations that led to the ban -- upheld by an appeals court last month -- included "harbouring terrorism", inciting violence and encouraging demonstrations which threatened to spark sectarian strife in the country.

Al-Wefaq´s leader, Sheikh Ali Salman, has been behind bars since December 2014 on charges of inciting hatred and calling for forceful regime change.