MANAMA, Bahrain (UPI) -- About 25 political detainees were released and proceedings against others were halted by order of Bahrain's king, a human rights official said Wednesday.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights said bloggers, human rights activists and several prominent Shiite clerics were among those freed, CNN reported.
Nabil Rajab of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights told CNN about 100 political detainees so far have been released, but estimated another 400 people are still detained on politically related charges.
King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's decision to release the prisoners comes as anti-government protests swelled in the streets of Bahrain's capital, Manama.
The monarch traveled to Saudi Arabia Wednesday, but the reason for the trip was unclear.
Tens of thousands of people marched Tuesday in the largest anti-government rally since the protests began last week, with chants of "No Shia, No Sunni, only Bahraini" and "The regime must go" filling the air, CNN reported.
King Hamad on Tuesday encouraged citizens to engage in a "national dialogue" and "move away from polarization," a government statement said.
The Bahrain Center for Human Rights said bloggers, human rights activists and several prominent Shiite clerics were among those freed, CNN reported.
Nabil Rajab of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights told CNN about 100 political detainees so far have been released, but estimated another 400 people are still detained on politically related charges.
King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa's decision to release the prisoners comes as anti-government protests swelled in the streets of Bahrain's capital, Manama.
The monarch traveled to Saudi Arabia Wednesday, but the reason for the trip was unclear.
Tens of thousands of people marched Tuesday in the largest anti-government rally since the protests began last week, with chants of "No Shia, No Sunni, only Bahraini" and "The regime must go" filling the air, CNN reported.
King Hamad on Tuesday encouraged citizens to engage in a "national dialogue" and "move away from polarization," a government statement said.
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