Nabeel Rajab, an opposition activist and head of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, has been sentenced for three years in prison for taking part in an illegal protest against the ruling family on Thursday.

As the sentence was read out in court, Rajab was heard to shout, "three years or 30, you cannot stop me".

He is also due to face charges of defamation for Twitter posts calling for the resignation of Bahrain's prime minister, Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa.

The hearing has been condemned by Amnesty International who described it as "a dark day for justice in Bahrain".

Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Deputy Middle East and North Africa Programme Director at Amnesty International, said,

"Like many others in Bahrain, Nabeel Rajab is a prisoner of conscience, jailed solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression and assembly. He should be released immediately and his convictions and sentences quashed. The authorities must also act to ensure that all human rights defenders are able to carry out their work without fear of reprisal."

“If anything, this latest verdict marks the end of the facade of reform in Bahrain. The international community can no longer be under the illusion that Bahrain is on the path of reform when such blatant ruthless tactics are being used to suppress dissenting voices. Bahrain’s international partners need to make this loud and clear to the Bahraini authorities.”