of intentionally disrupting everyday life of people. Opposition parties said the decision to ban rallies was unconstitutional and against freedom of expression. They issued a joint statement accusing authorities of inflicting tens of injuries and attacking over 72 areas. At night, several candle marches were staged in memorial of uprising victims. August 2012 2 August Activists said at least 45 people were injured in the security forces' operation to break up the three separate protests across the Gulf Arab island late on Thursday. The head of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights, Mohammed al-Maskati, said activist Zainab al-Khawaja was arrested early on Friday when she tried to hold a solitary protest sit-in at al-Badei street close to the capital Manama. He further adding that police had used tear gas to disperse the protesters. There were no reports of serious injuries. Interior Ministry said in a statement on its website that "riot instigators" threw Molotov cocktails at a ministry vehicle in a road near Bani Jamra, but that its driver and his companion escaped uninjured. 8 August A Bahraini court cut jail sentences against 11 people convicted of attacking a soldier and acquitted four others. The appeals court reduced the main charge against 15 defendants from attempted murder to "physical attack" on the soldier, while charges of taking part in illegal assemblies and rioting during a month of Shia-led protests last year remained unchanged. Five of the defendants had their sentences reduced to two years. The sentences against two other defendants were dropped to one year and six months respectively, the lawyer said requesting anonymity. However, the 16th defendant lost his right to appeal for remaining at large. 9 August Russia's representative to the UN suggested that Bahrain's crisis be added to the international organization's list of things to do. 14 August Bahrain on Tuesday delayed until 4 September a ruling in the retrial of 20 men convicted of leading an uprising last year, lawyers said, a case under scrutiny from U.S. officials keen for acquittals to help restore calm in the Gulf kingdom. The 20 men, including seven being tried in absentia, are believed to be among hundreds who an international rights commission assessed in November 2011 had been tortured during a period of martial law imposed to help quell the uprising. The presiding judge gave no reason for the postponement. According to Jishi and other lawyers present in