Protests hit Bahrain after activists sentenced

Witnesses said police fired tear gas at marchers trying to reach a central square in Bahrain’s capital, Manama, that was once the hub of their campaign for greater freedoms, which began in February as the political tumult in the Arab world spread to the Gulf.

After the court ruling, Shiite crowds blocked roads with sand piles and called for the protest marches, which also took place in Shiite villages on the capital’s outskirts. It was the first serious unrest after months of a security lockdown by military and police units in Bahrain, a key American military ally that is home of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet.

The court handed down life sentences for eight Shiite activists and long jail terms for 13 others. They were convicted of trying to overthrow Bahrain’s 200-year-old monarchy and of having links to “a terrorist organisation abroad.”

“It’s a political verdict,” said Nabeel Rajab, president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights. “All those convicted today were targeted because of their activities to bring about change and democracy in Bahrain.”