Bahrain Moves to Dissolve Opposition Groups

Bahrain's Sunni-led government has filed a lawsuit to disband two Shi'ite opposition groups in the wake of opposition protests in the kingdom.

The state-run news agency, BNA, said Thursday the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs had filed a suit against the Wefaq party and a second group known as the Islamic Action association.

The news agency quotes a justice ministry statement as saying the two groups have committed "grave breaches" of constitutional provisions and laws.  It also says the groups have carried out activities that harmed peace and national unity.

Opposition protesters in Bahrain have been demanding the resignation of the government and the creation of a political system that gives a greater voice to the kingdom's Shi'ite majority.

Earlier this week, a daughter of prominent human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja announced she had begun a hunger strike to protest the arrest of her father and other family members.  She says her relatives were taken into custody as part of a government crackdown on opposition protests.  

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.