Bahrain opposition activists jailed for life

Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa said he was seeking a national dialogue with protesters last month.Defendants are forcibly taken out of court after the verdictThe verdicts come after human rights groups have urged Bahrain to stop the trials"This court does not meet international standards for human rights," an activist says

(CNN) -- A Bahrain court sentenced eight Shiite opposition activists to life imprisonment after finding them guilty of plotting to overthrow the country's Sunni royal family, state media said Wednesday.

They were among 21 people who were tried and convicted on terrorism-related charges in connection with the anti-government protests in the country, the Bahrain News Agency said.

Soon after the judge read the verdict, the defendants protested loudly -- prompting officials to forcibly remove them from the courtroom.

Zainab al-Khawaja, a spectator, disputed her father's life sentence by yelling "God is Great" and was arrested.

Most defendants hauled before Bahrain's special military court are facing blatantly political charges, and trials are unfair.
--Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch.

Rights groups have urged Bahrain to halt the special military court proceedings, with Human Rights Watch deeming them a violation of international law.

"Most defendants hauled before Bahrain's special military court are facing blatantly political charges, and trials are unfair," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch.

In a meeting earlier this month with U.S. President Barack Obama last week, Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa pledged he is seeking national dialogue with the protesters.

Bahrain's crackdown contradicts statements the prince made, Human Rights Watch said.

Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab also said he disapproved of the trials.

"This court does not meet international standards for human rights and for fair trials. The people were sentenced for expressing their opinion and for opposing the government," Rajab said. "This goes against the government saying it wants a dialogue."

Bahrain is one of several Middle Eastern and North African countries embroiled in anti-government protests. The ruling royal family -- Sunnis in a majority-Shiite nation -- accuses protesters of being motivated by sectarian differences and supported by Iran.

Also on trial in Bahrain are dozens of doctors and nurses who are accused of taking control of a hospital during the anti-government protests, storing weapons and keeping people prisoner.

The doctors, their lawyers and international human rights activists say the defendants were tortured to extract confessions against a background of demonstrations in the kingdom.

From CNN's Jenifer Fenton

CNN