A prominent activist in Bahrain imprisoned since the country's 2011 Arab Spring protests began a new hunger strike Wednesday, seeking to pressure the island kingdom and Europe over his internationally criticized detention.
Abdulhadi al-Khawaja began what supporters described as an “open-ended” hunger strike while detained at the Jaw Rehabilitation and Reform Center in Bahrain. A previous hunger strike by the 64-year-old activist, who also holds Danish citizenship, lasted for 110 days in 2012 — and a doctor now is warning the Danish government that al-Khawaja is already 10 kilograms (22 pounds) underweight and has a heart condition that could worsen.
