HRW calls for EU to press Gulf countries on activists

(NICOSIA) - Human Rights Watch on Friday urged the European Union to publicly call for the release of political activists imprisoned by Gulf countries, ahead of a ministerial meeting in Qatar.

The call was made in a letter sent to European Union foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini before Sunday's Gulf Cooperation Council-EU ministerial meeting in Doha.

HRW said "hundreds" of dissidents have been imprisoned across the Gulf "for nothing more than exercising their rights to free expression and association".

It said the EU should press for change.

"Despite the EU's oft-stated commitment to human rights, it hasn't so much thrown its weight behind advocates of human rights in the Gulf as nervously wagged its finger," said HRW's Lotte Leicht.

"The EU should take inspiration from the courage of detained GCC activists and call for their immediate release."

HRW highlighted the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, where it said the "situation continues to deteriorate".

The six-nation GCC also includes Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

The meeting is expected to focus on relations between the two blocs as well as international and regional issues.