[JURIST] A Bahrain [BBC backgrounder] court on Thursday sentenced 29 protesters to one month in prison for entering Pearl Square, an area that has been heavily fortified since the Bahrain uprising. The area was once the center of opposition activity. Opposition leaders have called for increased protests, inspired by the recent ouster of Egyptian president Mohammed Morsi. The defense lawyer for the protesters, Mohamed al-Wasti, has stated that the protesters plan to appeal [AP report] the court’s ruling.

Bahrain has faced civil unrest as Shiite-led protestors seek political empowerment in the Sunni-ruled country. Last month three protestors were sentenced to imprisonment [JURIST report] for taking party in anti-government protests as well as attempting to kill a police officer. In May, a Bahrain court sentenced six individuals [JURIST report] to a year in prison for insulting King Hamad via Twitter. Also in May a Bahrain court issued 15-year prison sentences [JURIST report] to 31 protestors for their role in firebomb attacks as part of anti-government protests.