57 Bahraini Dissidents Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Bahraini regime, in yet another move to silence the voices of dissent and crack down on the opposition, sentenced 57 more citizens of the Persian Gulf country to 15 years in prison, media reports said on Monday.
A Bahraini court has recently handed over 15-year jail terms to each of the 57 nationals on charges of rebellion and sedition, according to Arabic-language Al Mayadeen TV.
The sentences come amid an ongoing crackdown on dissent in Bahrain with rights groups repeatedly criticizing the regime for handing down long-term sentences to anti-regime protesters and activists in the country.
Bahrain, a close ally of the US in the Persian Gulf region, has been witnessing almost daily protests against the ruling Al Khalifa dynasty since early 2011, with Manama using heavy-handed measures in an attempt to crush the demonstrations.
Scores of Bahrainis have been killed and hundreds of others injured and arrested in the ongoing crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations.
