Six medical staff - whose prison sentences for their role in last year's pro-reform uprising in Bahrain were upheld on Monday - have been arrested a day after Amnesty International called on the Bahraini government to refrain from jailing them.

At the time of the arrests, their families and lawyers were not told where they were being taken.

“Today's imprisonment once again marks the lack of any real commitment from Bahrain's government to be held accountable and deliver true justice for victims of human rights violations,” said Ann Harrison, Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Deputy Programme Director.

"Despite the government’s claims that the medics committed a criminal offence, Amnesty International believes they have been jailed solely for peacefully exercising their legitimate rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly and therefore they should be immediately and unconditionally released.”

The organization considers the six to be prisoners of conscience and has found no evidence that any of them used or advocated violence in their role in last year’s pro-reform demonstrations.