Bahraini authorities have suspended the country's main opposition newspaper, accusing it of threatening national unity and relations with other states, the official news agency BNA reported late on Thursday.

 

"The Information Affairs Authority has temporarily suspended Al Wasat newspaper until further notice," BNA reported.

 

"This is due to its violation of the law and repeated dissemination of information that affects national unity and the kingdom's relationship with other countries," it said, without elaborating.

 

Al Wasat, Bahrain's only independent daily, was briefly closed in 2011, and its senior staff removed and prosecuted, in the aftermath of anti-government protests in the Gulf island kingdom.

 

The paper is headed by Mansoor Al-Jamri, who was one of three senior editors tried on charges of fabricating news when the paper was reporting the protests, led by the Shi'ite Muslim majority against the Sunni ruling family's government.

 

Jamri was brought back as editor-in-chief later in 2011.

 

Bahrain, which hosts the US Fifth Fleet, has experienced sporadic turmoil since demonstrators took to the streets that year demanding reforms and a bigger role in government. That revolt was put down with military help from Saudi Arabia. - Reuters