Bahrain court upholds life sentence for Shia leader

MANAMAH

A Bahraini court on Monday upheld a life sentence against Shia opposition leader Ali Salman on charges of spying for Qatar, according to the official BNA News Agency.

Salman, the secretary-general of the opposition Al-Wefaq Society, was sentenced to life in prison by a lower court in November on espionage charges.

The Shia leader lodged an appeal against the verdict, but the Court of Cassation on Monday rejected the appeal and confirmed the sentence, BNA said.

Bahraini authorities accuse Salman and two other leaders of Al-Wefaq of "communicating with Qatar to commit hostile acts aimed at destabilizing the state".

Monday's verdict is final and cannot be appealed.

Bahraini authorities banned Al-Wefaq Society in 2016.

Qatar had earlier rejected the espionage allegations against the Gulf state.

Bahrain is a member of a Saudi-led bloc that abruptly severed all ties with Doha and imposed embargo in June of 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

Qatar has vociferously denied the accusations, describing the Saudi-led embargo as a violation of international law and its national sovereignty.