Brussels witnesses protests against planned visit of European Council President to Saudi Arabia

BRUSSELS, Jun. 10 (YPA) – Dozens of human rights activists participated on Thursday in a vigil in front of the European Council headquarters in the Belgian capital, Brussels, against the planned visit of Charles Michel, President of the European Council, to Saudi Arabia at the end of June.

At the invitation of the International Federation for Rights and Development (IFRD), the participants raised pictures of prisoners of conscience and dissidents in Saudi prisons, and cartoons criticizing the kingdom’s black human rights record and the violations of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The participants in the vigil chanted slogans demanding a more assertive European position against human rights violations in Saudi Arabia and pressure on Riyadh to release prisoners of conscience and allow public freedoms in the Kingdom.

IFRD sent a letter to Charles Michel asking him to cancel his scheduled visit to Saudi Arabia.

YPA