(MENAFN) Bahrain's supreme court of appeal upheld the dissolution of the country's main shiite opposition group, the al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, as the ruling Al-Khalifah regime presses ahead with its heavy-handed clamp down on political dissidents and pro-democracy campaigners in the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom.

On Monday, the Court of Cassation turned down an earlier appeal to challenge al-Wefaq's dissolution and seizure of its assets, and upheld a previous ruling, presstv reported.

On July 17, 2016, the Bahraini High Administrative Court ordered the dissolution of al-Wefaq and the seizure of its funds.

The charges issued by Bahraini government included "Wefaq's ongoing challenge of the legitimacy of Bahrain's Constitution through its website, its statements regarding Bahrainis' rejection for the 2002 constitution since it is not consensual and doesn't have popular legitimacy and its continued support for violence through publishing pictures for terrorists holding sharp tools and describing them as oppressed peaceful demonstrators."

According to the ruling issued by the Administrative Court on the dissolution of Wefaq party in July 2016, the party "deviated from its political activity to the point of inciting violence and encouraging marches and mass rallies, which could lead to sectarian strife in the country".

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