15-year jail terms added for Bahrainis involved in prison mutiny

A court in Bahrain on Monday added 15-year jail terms to the sentences of 57 inmates involved in a prison mutiny, a judicial source said.

The inmates were convicted of rioting and mutiny following unrest last March at the notorious Jaw prison south of the capital Manama, the source said.

The charges included "disobeying orders and forcing guards out of the prisoners' buildings" and then "destroying furniture, air conditioners and security cameras," the source said.

Security forces finally stormed the buildings and clashed with the rioting prisoners, resulting in casualties among police and inmates, the source added.

It was not clear what caused the riot in Bahrain's largest prison that is used for political prisoners arrested over pro-democracy protests. Jaw has been the subject of regular reports by rights groups who claim that prisoners are tortured there.

Human Rights Watch called last May for an independent investigation into allegations that security forces used "excessive force" to quell the unrest at the jail and later mistreated prisoners.

"Bahrain can't claim any progress on torture while its anti-torture institutions lack independence and transparency and until it takes some serious steps to address the complete lack of accountability for the abuse of detainees," said HRW's deputy MENA director Joe Stork.

"The claims of Bahrain and its allies that authorities have ended torture in detention are simply not credible."

No new charges against Salman

On Sunday, Bahrain's prosecutor said he would not press new charges against Sheikh Ali Salman, the jailed leader of the main Shia opposition bloc, in connection with messages posted on Twitter.

The prosecutor general summoned Salman from prison, where he is serving a sentence for inciting disobedience, for questioning about "violations" posted on his Twitter account, the official BNA news agency reported.

It later said that Salman denied any wrongdoing and that the prosecutor decided not to press charges and ordered him returned to prison to serve the rest of his sentence.

The prosecution also ordered an investigation into who was behind the tweets which, according to BNA, "incited" against the government and called for demonstrations.

Salman's al-Wefaq bloc earlier denounced the summoning of its leader by the prosecution, saying it "violates the Bahraini constitution and national law, as well as international covenants related to freedom of opinion and expression".

The opposition leader was sentenced on 16 June to four years in jail after being convicted of inciting disobedience and hatred.

An appeals court is reviewing that conviction, but the prosecution is demanding the annulment of his acquittal on the more serious charge of plotting to overthrow the government and seeking a tougher sentence.

A ruling on the appeal is expected on 30 March.

Al-Wefaq renewed earlier calls for its leader to be released "immediately".

The party once held the most seats in parliament, but its 18 MPs walked out in 2011 in protest at violence against demonstrators during pro-democracy rallies.