In the Gulf nation of Bahrain, a court has denied a bid for early release from leading human rights activist Nabeel Rajab. Rajab was sentenced to three years in prison last summer as part of a government crackdown on dissent. According to Amnesty International, he has reported dire prison conditions, including being kept in solitary confinement with a dead animal in his cell. Rajab’s lawyer said he is eligible for early release under Bahraini law, but the request was rejected on Sunday. Bahrain is a close ally of the United States.