Court jails rioters

Manama : The Supreme Appeals Court has upheld the sentences issued against 15 convicted men in connection with setting a police patrol on fire and injuring a police officer.

The defendants had been handed down sentences between three and seven years in prison. Twenty-six Bahraini men, including the appellants, were initially tried in connection with the incident, which happened on April 1 three years ago.

They took part in the riot erupted in the village of Duraz, where protesters carried out acts of vandalism and attack on police officers. The rioters set a police car on fire, and a police officer was injured in the fire. The High Criminal Court earlier ordered the 26 defendants to pay BD2,660 jointly for the damage they caused to the vehicle.