Bahrain Protesters Get Death Sentence

The New York Times reports:

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — A military court in Bahrain on Thursday convicted four Shiite protesters and sentenced them to death for the killing two policemen during anti-government demonstrations last month in the Gulf kingdom, the state media said.

Three other Shiite activists, who were also on trial, were sentenced to life in prison for their role in the policemen's deaths.

The verdicts were the first related to Bahrain's uprising, which was inspired by revolts in the Arab world. The kingdom's Shiite majority has long complained of discrimination and is campaigning for greater freedoms and equal rights in the tiny Sunni-ruled island nation.

Faced with an unprecedented political unrest, Bahrain's king declared martial law and invited troops from Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-ruled Gulf countries to help quell Shiite dissent after weeks of street marches and sit-ins in the kingdom's capital, Manama.

The seven opposition supporters sentenced Thursday were tried behind closed doors on charges of premeditated murder of government employees. In an earlier hearing this week, Bahrain state media said the military prosecutor presented evidence that showed the defendants killed the policemen "on purpose" by running them over with a car.

Their lawyers denied the charges.

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