Prominent Bahraini activist sentenced to 2 years prison

A prominent Bahraini activist has been sentenced to two years in prison, a verdict that rights groups say is part of a years-long crackdown on dissent that has seen all political opposition groups disbanded and activists jailed or forced into exile.

Nabeel Rajab was sentenced today on charges related to TV interviews he gave in which prosecutors allege he disseminated rumors and false news relating to the situation inside Bahrain.

Rajab's case drew particular attention because he helped lead Bahrain's 2011 Arab Spring protests, when tens of thousands of Shiites took to the streets to demand a greater say in government from the Sunni monarchy.

He has been imprisoned since June of last year, and has been hospitalized since April.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)