Bahrain jails 36 Shias, strips them of citizenship

A court in Bahrain Tuesday jailed 36 Shias allegedly convicted of forming a “terrorist” group to attack police, and stripped them of their citizenship, a judicial source said. 

 

 

A court in Bahrain Tuesday jailed 36 Shias allegedly convicted of forming a “terrorist” group to attack police, and stripped them of their citizenship, a judicial source said. 

Three of those sentenced received life terms, while the rest were jailed for between three and 10 years, the source said.

The defendants had been allegedly charged with “forming an illegal group that aimed to jeopardize the constitution and laws, using terrorism as one of its means,” according to the judicial source.

They were also accused of “possessing explosives without permits,” the source said, adding that the defendants confessed to taking part in riots and vandalism.

The kingdom has been the scene of frequent protests and clashes with police since security forces quelled Shiite-led nationwide protests in 2011 that called for political reforms.