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Bahrain Sentences Pro-Reform Activists to Prison


A Bahraini woman shops for produce on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, in the Shi'ite Muslim village of Malkiya, Bahrain. The graffiti on the wall behind her reads: "God, free our prisoners."
A Bahraini woman shops for produce on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, in the Shi'ite Muslim village of Malkiya, Bahrain. The graffiti on the wall behind her reads: "God, free our prisoners."

A Bahraini court has sentenced 26 activists, including six Shi'ite opposition party members, to prison for their roles in pro-reform protests.

The security court announced the sentences on Tuesday, a day after it imposed terms of up to life in prison on 35 people for activities linked to the demonstrations earlier this year.

The state-run Bahrain News Agency says the court imposed sentences of up to 15 years in prison on Tuesday. The majority of the activists who were sentenced had been convicted of kidnapping policemen during the protests.

The news agency identified six of the activists as members of the now-banned Amal opposition party. They were convicted of charges that include organizing illegal protests.

Last week, a military court sentenced medical personnel to prison terms of up to 15 years. Bahraini authorities accused the doctors and nurses of using a hospital for anti-government activity and possessing firearms. The United Nations condemned the sentences.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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