Earlier this month, Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa ordered the unconditional release of 1,584 prisoners, constituting Bahrain’s biggest royal pardon since the Arab Spring erupted in 2011. Among those freed were a number of political prisoners. Many Bahraini and international human rights organisations spent years campaigning for their release. Although not all political prisoners in Bahrain have been freed by the authorities, this latest royal pardon was a major development that surprised many experts. King Hamad ordered these releases at the time of Eid. It is common for leaders of G…