[JURIST] A Bahrain [BBC backgrounder] court on Monday issued sentences to three protesters for allegedly taking part in anti-government protests as well as attempting to kill a police officer. The crimes were committed during an attack on police in the Shiite village of Manama which has been a hotbed of anti-government protests [JURIST news archive] since 2011. The first accused protester has been sentenced to 15 years [AFP report] for attempted murder and taking part in the protests, while the other two protesters were given lesser sentences of 10 years and five years.

Last month a Bahrain court sentenced six individuals [JURIST report] to a year in prison for insulting King Hamad via Twitter. Also last month a Bahrain court sentenced 31 protesters [JURIST report] to 15 years in prison for taking part in firebomb attacks that occurred during anti-government protests. In October the Bahrain Court of Cassation upheld jail sentences [JURIST report] issued to nine medics for allegedly participating in the March of 2011 anti-government protests. Twenty medics, including 13 doctors, one dentist, nurses and paramedics, were originally jailed and sentenced in September 2011 for providing treatment to injured protesters after the Salmaniya Medical Complex was stormed by security forces in March. Though originally sentenced to 15 years in prison, a Bahrain court in June 2012 overturned or reduced the sentences [JURIST report] for most of the medical professionals.