Bahraini appeal court frees nine medics

An appeals court has sentenced nine medical staff accused of aiding last February's anti-government uprising to jail terms, while setting free another nine.

The court upheld 15-year sentences against two doctors who fled Bahrain. The other sentences ranged from five years to one month.

The verdicts come nearly eight months after the 20 defendants were jailed for between five and 15 years by a now-disbanded security tribunal, set up by the Sunni monarchy as part of crackdowns against Shia-led protests. A retrial in a civilian court was later ordered.

Many of the medics were working at the Salmaniya hospital in Manama when security forces violently suppressed the protests.