A rights group in Bahrain says more detainees are joining a hunger strike to protest ongoing trials from the crackdown on demonstrations for greater rights by the Gulf nation's Shiite majority.

A statement Saturday by the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights says the hunger strike now includes nearly 20 doctors who are jailed and face anti-state charges linked to the protests against Bahrain's ruling Sunni dynasty.

The trials are scheduled to resume on Wednesday.

The Centre says at least two other prominent activists, Abdul Jalil Al-Singace and Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, have also begun hunger strikes in solidarity. The activists were sentenced to life in prison in June.

Bahrain protests began in February inspired by other Arab uprisings.