26/02/2016 (Agence Europe) - EU concerned at sentencing of opposition leader. On Thursday 25 February, a spokesperson for foreign affairs told EUROPE that the decision of a Bahraini court to sentence an opposition leader, Ibrahim Sharif, for a speech in which he called for reform, was “a further worrying development in the current polarised situation in Bahrain”. “We will closely follow proceedings against Mr Sharif and hope that transparent and due judicial process will be expedited”, the EU spokesperson stated, saying that the EU remained supportive of the stability and development of Bahrain and that this can best be achieved by a sustainable national reconciliation process. Sharif, the former secretary general of the National Democratic Action Society, was sentenced to a year in prison on Wednesday 24 February for contempt of the country's constitutional order, but he was acquitted of a charge of promoting the toppling of Bahrain's government. Sharif can appeal the decision. (CG)