Politicians from Chad have been convicted for anti-French protests.

Six Chadian opposition figures, including the leader of the main opposition alliance Wakit Tamma, have been sentenced to one year in prison with a one-year suspension for breaching public order.

They were also fined 10 million CFA francs ($16,000; £12,800) for their actions. The public prosecutor sought two years in prison, a fine of 100,000 CFA francs, and damages of 2 billion CFA francs.

The issue arose when a peaceful protest against France's military presence in Chad on May 14 became violent.

Following the incident, officials arrested several march organizers, who denied any responsibility for the violence.

Their trial began on Monday morning at a court in Moussoro, around 290 kilometers (180 miles) from N'Djamena's capital, with defense counsel boycotting the proceedings under a heavy police presence.

The activists had previously refused to be released from detention to attend the hearing.

Their lawyers have stated that they intend to challenge the sentence to the Court of Appeal in London, claiming that the trial was unfair.

Following the death of the country's senior leader Idriss Déby more than a year ago, the lawsuit comes amid a backdrop of political tension with a military junta in charge.