Source: European Parliament
Question for written answer E-002427/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Per Clausen (The Left), Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Verts/ALE), Rasmus Nordqvist (Verts/ALE), Villy Søvndal (Verts/ALE), Stine Bosse (Renew)
We are astonished to note that the Commission will now be embarking on trade and strategic partnership negotiations with the six GCC countries – Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – without first clearly demanding the release of all EU citizens who are being held as political prisoners in the GCC countries’ brutal prisons.
A case in point is that of Danish national Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja. He is a sick man who has been imprisoned in Bahrain for his work for democracy and human rights, and his case has been repeatedly raised by the European Parliament.
Accordingly:
- 1.Will the Commission do the decent and reasonable thing and clearly demand the release of all political prisoners from EU countries who may be imprisoned or subject to various restrictions in GCC countries, such as Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja, before formally opening negotiations on trade agreements and/or strategic partnerships with the countries concerned?
- 2.How will the Commission clearly and unambiguously raise the issue of political prisoners in the six GCC countries at meetings with those countries’ representatives?
- 3.Will the Commission guarantee that any agreements will include mechanisms to ensure that agreements can be suspended in the event of human rights violations by contracting parties?
Submitted: 17.6.2025