Bahrain sentences 34 to prison for membership in Shia opposition group

A Bahraini criminal court has handed down prison sentences to 34 defendants over their alleged membership in the Shia opposition group Wefaq, the Bahrani newspaper Al-Ayam has reported.

The Bahraini government considers Wefaq a terror group. It was the country’s largest opposition party before a court suspended its activities and froze its funds in 2016.

The court sentenced eight of the defendants to life imprisonment and fined them 100,000 Bahraini dinars each ($265,231).

Seven other defendants were sentenced to 10 years, eight were sentenced to five years, and nine to 15 years each. One defendant was sentenced to three years in prison.

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