Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has been sentenced to six months in jail for violating the country's labour laws. Yunus and his colleagues were convicted of violating labour laws and failing to establish a workers' welfare fund. Yunus, who pioneered microcredit to help impoverished people, has been accused of corruption and embezzlement. Supporters believe the charges are politically motivated, and over 170 global leaders and Nobel laureates have appealed to the government to suspend all legal proceedings against him. The 83-year-old economist was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for his anti-poverty campaign through Grameen Bank.