Bahrain Mirror: Bahrain's First High Criminal Court sentenced three suspects over charges of joining assembly and starting fire in Al-Naim area to 5 years in prison while sentencing another to 3 years and acquitting another suspect of the charges due to lack of evidence.

The authorities claimed that the second, third, fourth and fifth suspects planned to stage an assembly, start a fire and attack the police, so they prepared Molotov cocktails and gathered on February 14, 2014. They masked their faces and blocked Al-Budai street near Al-Naim cemetery with wood and trash and set them on fire. When the security forces arrived to open the street and disperse the protestors, the suspects attacked them by hurling Molotov cocktails and stones.

The coourt stated that the defendants on February 14, 2014 started a fire, along with other unknown suspects, that threatened people's lives and properties, joined an assembly for the purpose of breaching public security. They also used violence to accomplish the goal they had gathered for, acquired and possessed Molotov cocktails and deliberately caused damage to a security forces patrol.

As for the first suspect, the court said that the evidence provided by the public prosecution was not sufficient since the defendant wasn't caught red handed. The fifth suspect; however, was sentenced to a commuted prison term since he is under 18 years of age.

Arabic Issue