Bahrain prisoners suspend hunger strike as crown prince heads to Washington

Hundreds of political prisoners in Bahrain suspended a hunger strike after the government promised to improve prison conditions, rights groups said, as the Gulf state’s crown prince heads to Washington to improve ties.
The Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) said the prisoners agreed to suspend the strike, which started on Aug. 7, until Sept. 30 to allow implementation of the promised changes.
The Bahraini government said in a statement sent to Reuters that the inmates had ended the hunger strike.
BIRD’s Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, a Bahraini activist living in exile, said the government had shown some flexibility, adding the proposed deal also included ending isolation for some prisoners.