The protests were the largest in 60 years in the country. People demanded better living conditions and greater civil liberties in the one-party state. One person was killed and many were injured.
A total of 297 people are sentenced to various prison sentences, while 84 receive community service. In addition to riots, there is sabotage, robbery, assault and disorderly conduct among the crimes. 16 of the convicts are between 16 and 18 years old.
Last month, the country’s parliament approved legislative changes, which involve the introduction of a number of new crimes linked to freedom of expression and information technology.
“The regime is turning the thumbscrews, intensifying the oppression of citizens,” Rene Gomez Manzano, a lawyer, activist and former political prisoner, told AFP.