Activists planned new protests in Venezuela on Friday after jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison for inciting violence during deadly anti-government protests in 2014.

Activists planned new protests in Venezuela on Friday after jailed opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez was sentenced to nearly 14 years in prison for inciting violence during deadly anti-government protests in 2014.

After the court decision against the popular, US-trained economist, the opposition called for "peaceful" protests.

"We call for protests to take place in a peaceful, democratic and constitutional way," said Jesus Torrealba, executive secretary of the opposition coalition Democratic Unity Roundtable.

Lopez will serve his time at the Ramo Verde military prison, where he has been held since February 2014.

Judge Susana Barreiros found Lopez guilty of "damage and arson, public incitement and conspiracy," the attorney general's office said.

He was jailed for 13 years, nine months and seven days, defense lawyer Roberto Marrero said late Thursday on Twitter.

The opposition rejected the ruling, proclaimed Lopez's innocence and called the sentencing decision a political, not a judicial one.

Another Lopez attorney, Juan Carlos Gutierrez, said the trial was plagued with irregularities, reflecting the "lack of independence" of the Venezuelan judicial system.

Scores of members of Lopez's center-right party held a vigil in the Caracas neighborhood of Chacao. Several women burst into tears upon hearing the verdict.

Supporters of Lopez, 44, said one of their activists had died of a heart attack during a scuffle with pro-government supporters -- a claim that could not be independently verified.

The police and national guard later intervened to keep the two groups apart.