Updated

Seven men have been convicted of gang raping a teenager in northeastern Romania and sentenced to prison in a case that has caused national outrage.

The men, aged 18 to 27, were sentenced to between five years and eight years and four months on Monday. The ruling can be appealed.

The 18-year-old woman was repeatedly raped and sexually abused in November after she accepted a lift home. The suspects were later arrested pending trial.

The case gained national attention after a court ruled in June that the suspects could remain free pending trial. Around 400,000 people signed a petition calling for them to be held in custody, but the men remained free.

In Monday's ruling, the judge ordered that the men be arrested.