BBC News 28 September 11 14:51 GMT
Court painting (BNA)
A military court in Bahrain has upheld life sentences for eight Shia activists convicted over their role in protests earlier this year.
It also upheld sentences of up to 15 years on 13 other activists.
Security forces crushed a protest movement calling for more rights for the country’s Shia majority in the Sunni-ruled kingdom.
However, skirmishes are reported regularly as protesters try to keep their movement alive.
The 21 suspects were convicted in June for “forming a terrorist group to change the constitution and its monarchical system”, as well as inciting sectarian hatred, organising unlicensed protests.
Authorities also accused them of collaborating with “a terror group colluding with a foreign country” – in an apparent reference to Iran.
Bahraini opposition leaders deny any ties to Iran and accuse leaders of using these allegations to detain Shia activists.
Seven of the suspects were sentenced in absentia. Bahrain’s official news agency, BNA, said those sentenced could still appeal in a civilian court
