Other defendants were sentenced to up to 51 years in prison for similar charges on Sunday.

The case relates to an incident that took place outside the Manama capital of the tiny Persian Gulf Arab state in March 2012, when the wave of protest rallies against the US-backed despotic regime intensified.

Pro-democracy citizens as well as activists launched demonstrations en masse that year demanding basic rights from the Al Khalifa monarchy.

Lawyer Mohammad Al-Tajir said that many of those convicted are 18 years old and that the defense team plans to appeal.

Bahrain’s al-Wefaq National Islamic Society condemned the ruling, saying the verdict underscored the fact that there is no justice in the country.

The uprising in Bahrain began in 2011, with protesters calling for political reforms and a constitutional monarchy.

However, the demand soon changed to an outright call for the ouster of the Al Khalifa regime following its brutal crackdown on popular protests.

RA/MB