4 sentenced to death in Bahrain

By the CNN Wire Staff

April 28, 2011 -- Updated 1219 GMT (2019 HKT)

Anti-government protestors in front of military vehicles near Pearl Square in Bahraini capital Manama, on March 16, 2011.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• NEW: All the defendants deny the charges
• An opposition party warned their trial was unfair when it began
• The men face execution for their role in the killing of police officers, the kingdom's news agency says
• Bahrain is under a state of emergency after anti-government protests

(CNN) -- Four men were sentenced to death in Bahrain in connection with the killing of two police officers during anti-government protests, the Gulf kingdom's official news agency said Thursday.

The agency named them as Ali Al Sankees, Abdulaziz Hussain, Qassim Mattar and Saeed Abduljaleel. The Wefaq opposition party said all were 20 or 21 years old.

An additional three men were sentenced to life in prison, former Wefaq lawmaker Sayed Hadi Al Mosawi told CNN, naming them as Isa Ali, Sayed Sadiq Mahdi and Hussain Abdulkareem.

The defendants all have two weeks to appeal, he said.

All seven of them pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Wefaq criticized their trial when it began April 17, warning that it was being conducted by a special tribunal operating under emergency law instead of a normal criminal court. The opposition party also said lawyers had not been given enough time to prepare their defense.

The strategically important kingdom and United States ally has been under a state of emergency since the middle of March, following huge anti-government protests similar to those that have swept across much of the Arab world.

CNN's Jenifer Fenton and Caroline Faraj contributed to this report.

(source:http://edition.cnn.com) 

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