Court sentences 26 rioters to jail

Manama: The High Criminal Court handed down jail sentences ranging between three and ten years in prison to 26 men accused of setting a police patrol on fire and possessing arms in Diraz.

Three other men were earlier tried in connection with this case, but were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

The accused allegedly participated in a riot in Diraz, where they pelted police officers with firebombs.

A police patrol was damaged in the assault, but none of the police officers were wounded.

Prosecutors said the defendants conspired to riot through social media platforms.

Detectives managed to identify the first accused, and he in turn, revealed the identities of his accomplices.

He also guided cops to a cache, where an improvised weapon was stored.