Bahrain Live Blog

Large crowds gathered for the funeral of the protester Salah Habib,  who was found dead on Saturday. Our correspondent in Manama said security forces unleashed teargas and sound grenades on the funeral march:

"His body was found Saturday morning on a route in a village called Shakura...I attended his funeral as well and I saw his body being prepared for burial. It looked like it had shotgun wounds to the side of it."

He said the crowds were huge and emotional.

Bahrain's highest appeals court on Monday postponed for a week the final verdict in the case of 21 democracy activists convicted of plotting to overthrow the kingdom's rulers.

The court set the next hearing for April 30 amid claims by the family of hunger striker Abdulhadi al-Khawaja that his health is in sharp decline nearly 11 weeks into his protest.

Bahrain officials insist al-Khawaja faces no immediate medical risks.

On Sunday, a representative from Bahrain's public prosecution said Khawaja's doctors assured him that the Shia activist "is in good and stable health and is getting all necessary medical care".

The postponement came amid escalating tensions in the Sunni-ruled kingdom after a week of near-daily anti-government protests that coincided with Sunday's controversial Formula One Grand Prix race.

Witnesses said the courthouse was cordoned off by security forces as the postponement was announced in an effort by the government to prevent a planned protest by the largest Shia opposition group, Al-Wefaq.

Al Jazeera's special correspondent in Bahrain, who cannot be named for security reasons, reports that the situation in the villages outside Manama "is already shaping up to be a tense night"on the evening following the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Our correspondent also reports on a press conference organised by the al Wefaq party with the family of Salah Abbas Habib, the protester whose body had been found on a rooftop on the eve of the race.