Bahraini court postpones verdict against senior Shiite cleric

Sayed Majeed Al Meshaal, who heads the Muslim Scholars Council, was arrested in July of last year before being slapped with a long list of charges, in what amounted to three separate cases.

His arrest and charges stem from his participation in a round-the-clock vigil around the home of Bahrain’s highest religious authority, Sheikh Isa Qassim.

Earlier this year, Manama’s security forces placed Sheikh Qassim under house arrest after dismantling the sit-in.

Sayed Al Meshaal was already given jail time in two of the cases and now faces an additional two and a half years in prison over the third case.

The jailing and harassment of Shiite clerics in Bahrain has become increasingly commonplace in recent months, drawing a wave of condemnation from rights groups and the UN.