9 sentenced in Bahrain court

MANAMA, Bahrain, Oct. 4 (UPI) -- A Bahrain military court sentenced nine defendants Tuesday to 15 years in prison on charges of kidnapping a police officer.

Gulf News reported the court, set up by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa in March, said the police officer, Mohammad Nayef Falah, was taken blindfolded to the house of one of the defendants, kept there illegally and threatened.

In a separate case, the court also sentenced four defendants to 10 years in prison on charges of assaulting and kidnapping a police officer, Saif Allah Mohammad Ebrahim. The court said he was taken from the Pearl Roundabout to the Samaniya Medical Complex and held.

The court also sentenced six defendants to 10 years and eight to five years on charges including "inciting for the toppling of the political regime through the use of force, promoting illegal rallies, resisting the authorities, civil disobedience, going on strike and disseminating false information to undermine the regime," Gulf News said.

The verdicts can be appealed, the publication said.

Bahrain's Sunni monarchy violently cracked down on peaceful protests in the spring, most by members of the repressed Shiite majority.