A jiu-jitsu medalist and prominent Bahraini detainee has reportedly declared a hunger strike in solidarity with fellow prisoner Hassan Mushaima.
Mohamed Mirza, who medaled for Bahrain at the 2008 Asian Open Championships in Thailand, launched his hunger strike to protest the treatment of Mushaima, a Bahraini opposition leader serving a life sentence for his role in Bahrain’s pro-democracy protests and uprising. According to Mirza, Mushaima is being denied access to proper medical treatment, which has caused his health to deteriorate.
Mirza is also protesting his own poor treatment at Bahrain’s Jaw prison, which includes lack of access to proper health care and restrictions on family visitations such as glass barriers.