People Condemn Bahraini Court Verdicts for Opposition Figures

A large number of Bahraini people staged rallies on Tuesday to protest at the verdicts issued by Al-Khalifa courts for opposition figures and activists.

The demonstrators rallied in Sitrah city against the verdicts issued for 13 Bahraini opposition leaders which included prison terms from 2 years to 15 years for 6 political activists and life sentence for 7 others.

The 13 opposition leaders were among the 21 political activists that the Bahraini regime has issued different verdicts for them. The other 7 leaders were sentenced in absentia.

The renowned activist, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, is also among those who have received a life sentence by the al-Khalifa regime.

Anti-government protesters have been holding peaceful demonstrations across Bahrain since mid-February 2011, calling for an end to the al-Khalifa dynasty.

Violence against the defenseless people escalated after a Saudi-led conglomerate of police, security and military forces from the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member states – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar – were dispatched to the tiny Persian Gulf kingdom on March 13, 2011, to help Manama crack down on peaceful protestors.

So far, tens of protesters have been killed, hundreds have gone missing and thousands of others have been injured.

Police clampdown on protesters continues daily. Authorities have tried to stop organized protests by opposition parties over the past months by refusing to license them and using tear gas on those who turn up.

The opposition coalition wants full powers for the elected parliament and a cabinet fully answerable to parliament.”