In the first case, the appeals court confirmed 15-year prison sentences against each of 10 defendants convicted of allegedly attempting to attack policemen, the source said.

A lawyer said the verdict ignored accusations by the defendants that they had been tortured into giving confessions.

In the second case, the court upheld 10-year jail terms against each of three Shiites convicted of attempting to murder policemen in the village of Karzakan in February last year.

The defendants were accused of opening fire on policemen who were dispersing protestors in the village.

The court also upheld jail terms against five defendants in a third case, convicted of forming a opposition group against the regime.

Two defendants have been jailed for 15 years, while the remaining three each received 10-year sentences.

A month-long protest that erupted on February 14, 2011, challenged the regime of the kingdom that is ruled by Al-Khalifa dynasty.

The demonstrations were broken up in mid-March in a deadly crackdown helped by security forces from neighboring Saudi Arabia regime.

Scores of people have been killed in the crackdown and security forces have arrested hundreds including doctors and nurses. Dozens of demonstrators have also been sentenced to jail terms for attending street protests.

Physicians for Human Rights say doctors and nurses have been detained, tortured, or have disappeared because they had “evidence of atrocities committed by the authorities, security forces, and riot police” in the crackdown.

The Al Kahlifa regime is under fire for its brutal crackdown on rights activists and pro-democracy protesters.

NJF/NJF