News / Persian Gulf

Bahraini court sentences 21 citizens to up to 15 yrs behind bars

Sunday, 12 February 2017 9:27 AM [ Last Update: Sunday, 12 February 2017 11:18 AM ]

Bahrain's Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs (File photo)

A Bahraini court has handed down prison sentences between three and 15 years to 21 citizens for allegedly carrying explosives and arms.

Arabic-language Bahrain Mirror news website reported that the jail terms were issued by Bahrain’s appeals court on Saturday.

According to the report, two of the defendants were sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment while the rest were given lesser jail terms.

Meanwhile, Bahrain’s Supreme Court jailed two other citizens for 15 years each on alleged charges of being behind a blast in the Sar district and possessing explosives.

Separately, a Bahraini court rejected appeals against 5-year jail terms given to two nationals and confirmed another 5-year prison sentence for the third defendant over an explosion in the village of Diraz.

Bahraini anti-regime protesters clash with police firing tear gas in Sitra, Bahrain, January 29, 2016. (Photo by AP)

Bahrain has been the scene of almost daily demonstrations against the Al Khalifah rule since mid-February 2011, when a popular uprising began in the tiny Persian Gulf country.

Protesters are demanding that the ruling dynasty relinquish power and allow a just system representing all Bahrainis to be established.

The regime in Manama has spared no effort to clamp down on dissidents and rights activists. Scores of people have lost their lives and thousands of others have ended behind bars during the suppression campaign.

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