Jailed Bahraini activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja ended a more than three-month-long hunger strike on Monday after what he described as his success in drawing attention to the issue of imprisoned activists, his wife and lawyer said.
Bahrain, a US ally and home to the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has been in turmoil since pro-democracy protests led by its majority Shi’ites erupted last year after revolts in Egypt and Tunisia.
Khawaja, who is also a Danish citizen, was a leading figure in the uprising and has become a focal point of almost daily anti-government protests in the past months as his health deteriorated.
Bahrain’s Shi’ites complain they have long been marginalised in political and economic life, which the government denies. But there has been no progress on the main opposition demand for a parliament with full powers to legislate and form governments.
