ShareClipReprintsPrintEmail September 17, 2013 5:07 pm Bahrain arrest of opposition politician fuels crackdown fears By Simeon Kerr in Dubai

The main Shia opposition group, al-Wefaq, said the arrest of its secretary-general’s political assistant was a “clear targeting of political action in Bahrain”.

The majority Shia community of the strategically important Gulf state has since 2011 been protesting for more democratic rule and an end to the discrimination it claims is orchestrated by the minority Sunni-led ruling family.

Mr Marzooq, who is still under interrogation and has yet to be charged, was detained after speaking at a rally on Friday and has been accused of encouraging violence and trying to topple the regime, according to al-Wefaq colleagues.

He is one of the most senior members of al-Wefaq to be arrested since the military-led crackdown on the pro-democracy protests of February 2011.

Mr Marzooq has always promoted peaceful protest, his colleagues said.

“The targeting of Khalil is a worrying escalation against the peaceful moderate opposition that we have not seen explicitly since the emergency rule of March 2011,” said Ali Alaswad, a former member of parliament for al-Wefaq. “It is a clear signal from the authorities that they are not taking the search for a solution to the crisis seriously,” he added.

Youths from the majority Shia community continue to confront the police with petrol bombs and other homemade devices, raising concerns among the minority Sunni population about law and order.

Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organisation, has criticised the government for detaining underage youths. Pro-government groups have in turn criticised those they claim are radicalising the youth and calling for violence.

“Why are legal minors being arrested and detained,” said a statement issued on Monday by Citizens of Bahrain. “Because they are repeatedly coerced into breaking the law and committing acts of violence and are putting public safety at risk.”

The escalation of the judicial crackdown on opposition forces comes as the political stalemate on the strategically important island deepens.

The government has already jailed prominent democracy and human rights activists, such as Nabeel Rajab and Zainab al-Khawaja.

The opposition coalition, including al-Wefaq and other parties, pulled out of the last session of the national dialogue, which aims to negotiate a political solution to unrest that is damaging the Gulf state’s economy.

Boycotting that meeting owing to a ban on private meetings between the opposition and foreign embassies, the opposition is now considering whether to join forthcoming sessions, but it has expressed fears that the process is “not serious.”