Bahrain upholds jail sentence for Ali Salman

In this Feb. 25, 2015 file photo, a Bahraini anti-government protester holds up an image of jailed Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman demanding his freedom during a protest in Daih, Bahrain. (AP)

DUBAI: Bahrain’s appeals court on Monday upheld a nine-year jail sentence against opposition chief Ali Salman, a judicial source said.
The sentence against Salman had been overturned by the court of cassation in October.
His arrest in December 2014, in connection with speeches he had given, sparked protests in Bahrain.
Salman was sentenced in July 2015 to four years in jail after being convicted of inciting hatred in Bahrain.
But the appeals court in May more than doubled his jail term to nine years after reversing an earlier acquittal.
The court of cassation overturned that sentence on Oct. 17 and ordered a retrial before the appeals court.
It also rejected a request to release Salman.
In July, a court ordered the dissolution of his Al-Wefaq movement for “harboring terrorism,” inciting violence and encouraging demonstrations.