AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Human Rights Watch stated in a report that the European Union should use the strategic partnership negotiations with Bahrain, which began in July 2026, to pressure for the release of political prisoners.
The organization specifically called for the release of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a Bahraini-Danish activist, and Mohammed Habib al-Miqdad, a Bahraini-Swedish activist, who according to the organization have been in Bahraini prisons for over 15 years.
Referring to the UN Working Group's 2012 decision regarding arbitrary detention in al-Khawaja's case, the organization emphasized that the governments of Denmark and Sweden, as well as the European Union, have so far been unable to secure the release of these two European nationals.
Human Rights Watch also criticized the continued imprisonment of a number of prominent dissidents, including Hassan Mushaima, Sheikh Ali Salman, and Abduljalil al-Singace.
Human Rights Watch also described the EU's policy toward Bahrain as "quiet diplomacy," stating that Brussels has largely contented itself with raising human rights concerns in bilateral dialogues and international forums, rather than taking serious measures or targeted sanctions.
The organization emphasized that including human rights clauses in the partnership agreement without effective enforcement mechanisms will not yield tangible results.
The organization concluded by calling on the European Union, Denmark, Sweden, and other member states to make the release of al-Khawaja, al-Miqdad, and other prisoners detained for peaceful political and civil activities a specific demand in negotiations with Manama.
Human Rights Watch also claimed that in recent months, pressure on freedom of expression in Bahrain has increased, and dozens of people, including children, have been stripped of their citizenship.
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