Jail terms reduced for Bahrain uprising duo

Manama: Bahrain’s appeals court on Sunday halved the sentence against Mahdi Abu Deeb, the former head of the teachers’ association, from 10 to five years in prison. The court also reduced the jail term of Abu Deeb’s deputy, Jaleela Al Salman, from three years to six months.

The two defendants were tried on charges of “exploiting the teachers’ association” to call for the suspension of courses, stalling the educational process, staging sit-ins outside schools, working for the forceful overthrow of the political dispensation, inciting hatred against the regime and broadcasting false information.

Under Bahrain’s law, Mahdi Abu Deeb and Jaleela Al Salman — who appealed the sentence pronounced last year — can take their case to the Cassation Court for a final ruling that cannot be challenged.