Bahrain's high court upholds convictions of 13 activists MANAMA, Bahrain, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- The convictions against 13 activists found guilty of plotting to overthrow the Bahraini government were upheld Monday by the country's highest court. An attorney representing three of the activists said the country's highest appeals court took just minutes to rule on the appeal of the 13 pro-democracy activists, who received sentences of five years to life in prison, CNN reported. The ruling by the court was the last opportunity the activists had to reverse their convictions. They were arrested for their roles in 2011 anti-government demonstrations as the Arab Spring movement swept across North Africa and the Middle East. Bahraini authorities, backed by troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, cracked down demonstrations, so they didn't gain as much momentum in Bahrain as Arab Spring uprisings did elsewhere. Bahrain and is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet headquarters. When the convictions were upheld by a lower court in September, the U.S. State Department said it was "deeply troubled." Amnesty International has called the convictions an outrage and urged Bahrain to overturn the sentences. The government said it provided fair trials.