The anti-regime protests were held in several villages, including Diraz, Sadad and Bu Quwwah, on Friday, Press TV reported.

 

The demonstrators also condemned a regime court sentence against prominent rights activist Nabeel Rajab. 

 

The 48-year old activist has been given three years in jail for taking part in protests. 

 

Rajab said during his trial on Thursday that he had suffered "physical and psychological torture" during his detention. 

 

Human rights groups including Amnesty International have condemned the sentence and called for Rajab's immediate release. The French government also said Friday it was "very disturbed" and "concerned" by the verdict.

 

Scores of protesters have been killed and many others arrested in the regime crackdown since last year. 

 

But protest rallies are held almost every day in defiance of the Saudi-backed crackdown. The protesters say they will not stop until their demand for the establishment of a democratically elected government is met.

 

On August 21, security forces arrested at least eight people in an attack on a funeral ceremony in the country’s third largest city of Muharraq.

 

The funeral was held to mourn the death of 16-year-old Husam al-Haddad killed during an attack by police on a peaceful demonstration in the city on August 17. 

 

Bahraini demonstrators hold King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa responsible for the deaths of protesters during the uprising.

 

Since mid-February 2011, thousands of anti-government protesters have been staging regular demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.

 

On March 14, 2011, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates invaded the country to assist the Bahraini government in its crackdown on the peaceful protesters.

 

According to local sources, scores of people have been killed and hundreds arrested in the crackdown.

 

Physicians for Human Rights says doctors and nurses have been detained, tortured, or disappeared because they have "evidence of atrocities committed by the authorities, security forces, and riot police" in the crackdown on anti-government protesters.