Prosecutors indicated that "a court in Bangladesh sentenced Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus to six months in prison on Monday for violating labor laws in a case that his supporters claim is politically motivated." Yunus (83 years old) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, jointly with Grameen Bank, for their work in lifting millions out of poverty by providing small loans of less than $100 to the poor in rural Bangladesh, which opened the door to what became known as "microcredit." Nonetheless, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused him of "sucking the blood of the poor." His supporters stated that the government is trying to tarnish his image because he once considered establishing a rival political party to Hasina's Awami League. Yunus and three other employees of Grameen Telecom, which he founded, were convicted on Monday of violating labor laws. The court responded to the convicted individuals' request for release on bail pending an appeal of the ruling.