Bahrain Mirror: France expressed its concern over the sentence issued against Sheikh Ali Salman, secretary-general of the Al-Wefaq Society, the main Bahraini opposition force.

It said in a statement issued on Wednesday (November 7, 2018) "France expresses its concern over the situation of Ali Salman, who was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole by the country's Appeal Court."

"Mr. Salman had served as secretary-general of the Al-Wefaq Society, the main Bahraini opposition force that was dissolved in 2016," it added.

France emphasized the importance of an inclusive, representative, pluralistic political system in Bahrain, and its full commitment to respecting human rights.

A Bahraini court sentenced Sheikh Ali Salman and two other prominent opposition leaders to life in jail, canceling their acquittal verdicts of charge of spying for Qatar.

The first-instance court had acquitted Sheikh Salman, Sheikh Hasan Sultan and Ali Al-Aswad of charges brought against them few months ago.

Amnesty International said that the verdict is a travesty of justice that demonstrates the Bahraini authorities' relentless and unlawful efforts to silence any form of dissent.

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