[JURIST] Fourteen accused Zayidi Shi'ite [GlobalSecurity backgrounder] rebels, among them outspoken Yemeni journalist Abdel Karim al-Khaywani [advocacy profile], were sentenced in a Yemeni court Monday for their roles in an ongoing Shi'ite uprising. Thirteen of the rebels received sentences of up to ten years in prison and one was sentenced to death for plotting attacks on Yemeni military bases. Yemeni authorities accuse Zayidi Shi'ite of trying to impose Shi'ite Islamic law [BBC backgrounder] on the country, but group members say they are only defending their community from a hostile government.

Al-Khaywani was sentenced to six years after he was caught carrying pictures and news reports of clashes between the Zayidi Shi'ite and the Yemeni Army; the Yemeni government had requested news agencies to refrain from reporting on the conflict. Amnesty International recently shortlisted al-Khaiwani [AI press release] for a special award honoring "human rights journalism under threat." Reuters has more. BBC News has additional coverage. The Yemen Observer has local coverage.