Danish-Bahraini human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja (aged 62) has been on a water-only hunger strike since 9 August to protest his continued arbitrary detention and his denial of access to medical care. On 11 August, he experienced strong cardiac arrhythmia and he was taken to the Bahrain Defence Force hospital where he was admitted to the ICU. Two hours after he was intravenously administered medication, his heartbeat stabilized and he was taken back to his prison cell from where he resumed his hunger strike. Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja is a prisoner of conscience who has been arbitrarily detained since 2011. He must be immediately and unconditionally released.
Index Number: MDE 11/7119/2023