AhlulBayt News Agency

source : Agencies
Thursday

10 October 2013

8:30:00 PM
471361

Bahrain Sentences 18 to Prison, Protests Continue

A Bahraini court on Thursday sentenced 18 people to between five and seven years in prison after they were convicted of allegedly attacking a police station, a judicial source said.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Fifteen defendants were jailed for seven years and three for five years after being of attacking the police station in a village near Manama last November.

 They had been charged with "aggression" against police, "possession of petrol bombs" and taking part in an unauthorized protest "aiming at undermining public security."

 No casualties were reported in the attack.

 Thursday's ruling brings to 122 the number of people jailed since September 29 in connection with violence in the Gulf kingdom that began in February 2011 with a month-long uprising.

 On Monday, nine anti-regime activists were also to life in prison after being convicted of being allegedly involved in an attack in November 2011 in Manama.

Four of the defendants, who were present at the court, had previously said that they were subjected to torture and mistreatment in solitary confinement.

Five other defendants, tried in absentia, were handed additional 10-year jail terms for failing to hand themselves in.

 This comes as Bahraini protesters continue to demonstrate in villages outside the capital and frequently clash with police.

 On Thursday, anti-regime protests were held in several villages, including Al Daih and Damistan-- west of the capital Manama.

The demonstrators carried their national flag and chanted anti-regime slogans during the protests.

At least 89 people have been killed since the protests began two and a half years ago, according to the International Federation for Human Rights.

 Strategically located across the Gulf from Iran, Bahrain is home to the US Navy's Fifth Fleet and is an offshore financial and services center for its oil-rich Arab neighbors.

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