News / Persian Gulf

Bahrain extends jail terms of 57 prisoners

Monday, 25 January 2016 1:33 PM [ Last Update: Monday, 25 January 2016 1:34 PM ]

The file photo shows Bahraini police at the notorious Jaw Prison in Manama, Bahrain.

A court in Bahrain has added 15-year jail terms to the sentences of dozens of prisoners who were allegedly involved in a prison riot.

A Bahraini regime judiciary official said on Monday that 57 inmates had been convicted of “disobeying orders” and “destroying furniture,” following unrest last March at Jaw Prison south of the capital, Manama.

Al-Wasat newspaper said the defendants were also fined a total of 508,187 dinars (about USD 1.35 million).

The notorious Jaw Prison is the largest prisoner facility in Bahrain and is used to hold peaceful protesters who participated in anti-regime demonstrations.

Human Rights Watch called last May for an independent investigation into allegations that security forces used "excessive force" to quell the March unrest at the jail and later mistreated prisoners.

Since early 2011, Bahrainis have held protests on an almost daily basis against the ruling Al Khalifah regime.

Scores of people have been killed and hundreds arrested in the regime’s heavy-handed crackdown on demonstrations.

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