A court in Bahrain has sentenced three Shia activists to long-term imprisonment and revoked the citizenship.
On Thursday, the court sentenced the activists to ten years in prison each for what it claims as masterminding an assault on police forces in August 2013.
The court has also annulled the Bahraini nationality of these protesters under a controversial law which allows the Arab country’s judiciary to revoke the citizenship of those who carry out “terrorist” acts and “undermine the state security.”
The court’s harsh verdict comes as the tiny Persian Gulf monarchy prepares itself to hold parliamentary elections on November 22.
However, the Shia opposition parties, including the prominent al-Wefaq National Islamic Society, have boycotted the upcoming votes.
Earlier on Wednesday, people took to the streets on the Bahraini island of Sitra to express their opposition to parliamentary elections.
Bahraini security forces attacked the anti-regime demonstrators with tear gas and rubber bullets.
Since mid-February 2011, thousands of protesters have held numerous rallies in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.
Hundreds of Shias have been arrested and faced trial in Bahrain since a month-long uprising calling for democratic reform was quelled in March 2011.
Bahrain has been severely criticized by human rights groups for its harsh crackdown on anti-government protesters which has claimed the lives of scores of people so far.
In June, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights censured the Manama regime for human rights violations. A total of 46 members of the international body expressed deep concern over the Al Khalifa regime’s crackdown on peaceful protesters.
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