thirteen thirteen opposition leaders rights activists arrested march april connection role national uprising june tried special military court convicted setting terror groups royal regime change constitution received sentences ranging years life prison military appeal court upheld sentences september trial prominent civilian court held april accused released prison sentences upheld september january defendants lost chance appeal court upheld sentences thirteen originally seven tried released april thirteen popular heroes analysts speculated government concerned release protest movement government supporters oppose royal trial conviction sentencing drew expressions concern european_union denmark france ireland united_kingdom united_states international organizations including united_nations human rights watch reporters borders government maintained trials fair independent inquiry commissioned concluded november pattern defendants prison background february authorities sought pro democracy protests pearl roundabout traffic circle near financial district capital wider arab spring movement february attack police subsequently known bloody thursday protesters died injured protests involving fifth population continued month government called troops police declared month state emergency despite brutal crack followed smaller scale protests clashes continued outside business districts april people died uprising december protests ongoing naming coined refer men later adopted media sources case known locally case icons arabic arabic originally seven tried released april seven tried hiding outside country role uprising thirteen played important role public opinion government organizing protests shaping political demands group detention uprising began having arrested incident previous august released february leaders opposition parties respectively leaders 1990s uprising leading member opposition group resigning decision run parliamentary election founded london based activist sentenced alleged plot overthrow government charges dropped february government concessions opposition allowed return february join protest movement blogger chair followed path resigned position public relations chief joined head human rights department arrested august joined uprising released february supported protest plans member resigned unlike left politics returned founded opposition group official spokesperson played bigger role uprising arrested uprising began outside country led demonstration uprising early hours february credited suggesting autonomous action total protest movement adopted february youth coalition group uprising order avoid getting government prominent political activist founder resigned relationship comparable unofficial spiritual leader religious political activist vocal critic government member arrested august political activist close relations march formed coalition republic calling downfall current regime peaceful protests establishment democratic republic accepted western style constitutional monarchy principle saying different republic doubted regime voluntarily implement radical change argued newly found coalition supported controversial peaceful protest heading rally ended chaos dispersed security forces pro government described index censorship best known human rights activists world founder vocal critic government arrested reportedly beaten opposition activities holds danish dual citizenship role uprising activities limited organising peaceful awareness raising human rights education said intentionally kept away pearl roundabout order avoid ing authorities reason arrest member brother uprising sought document events contact international media opposition leader president secular leftist cross allied opposition group organized protests calling elected government constitutional monarchy member rest identity attempts government protest movement pro iranian plot shows support parts community days uprising demanded local reform rally solidarity egyptian revolution announced day protests supported principle right youth demonstrate peacefully prominent religious political leader president holds swedish dual citizenship vocal critic government religious political activist vice president vocal critic government rights activist uncle opposition leader father prominent human rights defender arrested february arrested august arrests arrests took place march april role uprising arrested arrested security forces night according shown beaten arrest held military prison november transferred jaw prison torture following arrest activists kept solitary confinement weeks allegedly subjected torture officers seeking secure confessions punishment reportedly included sexual assaults april patient saw face swollen raising concerns tortured according suffered jaw head arms month detention allegedly result torture day underwent operations torture reportedly resumed according human rights watch signs visible face trial session seen noticeable published detailed allegations torture allegedly inflicted authorities declared subjected torture stating information showed hospital admitted treated rumours said fabricated politically motivated established june found hundreds subjected torture forms physical psychological abuse observed pattern regard political leaders including according commission report torture prison held stopped june trial conviction military courts sent trial initially special military court set march try protesters opposition leaders rights activists health workers supporters perceived supporters uprising trial prominent hearing marked time fourteen defendants originally charged seen families arrest time met lawyers fourteen denied charges main charges setting terror groups royal regime change constitution collaborating foreign state apparent reference iran charges included insulting army hatred false information taking rallies authorities observers denied entry trial observers present according human rights watch activities fourteen charged related speech peaceful assembly criminal offenses june seven defendants sentenced life imprisonment years prison years years protested loudly sentence read forcibly removed court concluded appeal session september heard evidence support charges military appeal court hearing september took minutes court upheld convictions november asked civilian courts convicted military courts january fourteen began week hunger strike joined according rights activist prisoners object hunger strike demand end political crackdown protest trials demand release prisoners conscience subsequently went new day hunger strike transferred hospital april kept reducing intake april sentence years months released served sentence court announced thirteen defendants civilian criminal court appeal released prison leading criticism united_nations civilian courts hearing place postponed day hunger strike brought court wheelchair defendants pleaded guilty told subjected torture initial weeks detention stating sexually assaulted forced sign written statement june defence lawyers asked court disregard confessions report suggested obtained torture public prosecutor insisted inclusion evidence according confessions sole evidence submitted court session long testimony described alleged torture renounced accusation son king tortured person thirteen asked defense lawyers stop representing judge decided continue hearings secret subsequently banned media coverage case national security reasons new lawyers appointed court judge declared final judgment given defendants refused attend court originally expected final verdict august attended number foreign diplomats session deferred september specific reason given verdict expected significant impact course uprising analysts suggested government uncertain deal defendants popular heroes given release likely new impetus protest movement days prior expected verdict september expected day verdict health workers human rights said day human rights right decisions september appeal court upheld sentences thirteen attend session analysis said decision likely fuel political tensions street clashes highlight low chances reconciliation near future witnesses reported protesters set tires fire clashed security forces villages following verdict severely injured grenade january court upheld sentences court decision thirteen defendants attend trial exhausted chance appeal avenue remains release royal pardon reactions international bodies said disappointed concerned sentences disappointed concerned decision uphold harsh sentences nineteen individuals added secretary general supported verdict affirmed judiciary independent respected added secretary general united_nations said deeply concerned described harsh sentences urged government allow defendants exercise right appeal act strict accordance international human rights obligations including right process fair trial following september verdict expressed concern asked government fulfill implementation report engage meaningful dialogue addresses legitimate aspirations united_nations high commissioner human rights expressed concern trials bore marks political persecution called immediate end trials civilians immediate release peaceful arrested connection february protest movement spokesperson referred sentences harsh expressed deep concern process irregularities united nations special demanded immediate release states denmark denmark foreign minister said appeal court sentence disappointing international action taken secure release human rights democracy fighters foreign policy spokesperson asked danish parliament discuss possible sanctions parties danish parliament appealed king release daughter france spokesperson said especially concerned sentence hoped reviewed appeal affirmed right freedom expression urged authorities implement recommendations criticized saying serve situation solution crisis restore calm stability respond legitimate demands population added deputy prime minister minister foreign affairs trade criticized sentence expressed great concerns strongly actively supported international efforts urging government exercise allow release humanitarian grounds particularly light clear findings documented seriously ill treated following initial detention added minister expressed extreme concerned process surrounded sentencing opposition members nature charges found deeply worrying civilians tried chaired military judge reports abuse detention lack access legal counsel confessions following september sentences minister said disappointed verdict united_states united_states expressed concern severity sentences handed barack_obama said keeping jail meant starting real dialogue impossible avoiding direct reference thirteen called release imprisoned political views deputy spokesman referring president obama observation steps odds universal rights citizens noted cases appeals process urged government commitment transparent judicial proceedings criticized indifference soft approach urged demand release instead engaging thinking appeal process non governmental organizations number rights groups criticized sentences designated thirteen prisoners conscience called immediate release called independent investigation allegations urged responsible brought justice criticizing authorities called justice said sentences proof path reforms human rights watch demanded prisoners immediate release according middle_east north_africa deputy director military court original verdict absolutely mind failing mention single actual criminal offense acts relating defendants basic human rights reporters borders shocked lengthy sentences worried physical condition release demanded prisoners conscience condemned sentences dismissed charges political score settling condemned sentences expressed concern sentences demanded immediate release human rights criticized called large political trial declared sentences revealed military courts reading appeal sentence criticized said reform claims english pen said shocked lengthy sentence handed demanded release imprisoned peaceful expression opinion said government trying strength ahead planned dialogue political societies western pressure limited support years condemned sentence demanded immediate release brazilian political cartoonist produced cartoon labeled lady justice depicting king holding blood stained sword hand dropping trash domestic government said trials fair judiciary independent court provided assurances fair trial team defense attorneys selected defendants trial attended diplomats representatives human rights civil society organizations said responding international reactions rejected intervention state organization government supporters praised sentences asking given thirteen hard line wrote god great god great twitter compromise substantial minority support government thirteen dangerous revolutionaries country succeed monarchy government political groups harsh compromise approach including calling death sentences supporters abroad thirteen heroes prisoners conscience jailed calling democracy faces appear daily banners protests criticized trials unfair said sentences like dam preventing people participating dialogue prominent human rights activist family welcome considered sad news good news describing court tool regime people said shocked civil court sentence international consequences regime wife found decision ridiculous said government playing time maintained sentences based confessions extracted torture testimony alleged head criticized military trial sentence unfair falling short international standards expressed concern called violations political party said sentences efforts dialogue damaging country international reputation rejected appeal sentence said contradictory solving crisis described verdict unfair outrageous marred abuses violations legal human rights standards human rights lawyer said appeal verdict shocking judge dismissed appeal argued remembered words case words political trials trials ideas
Bahrain Thirteen