WASHINGTON–U.S Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia and Counterterrorism, released a statement following his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Bahrain, Dr. Abdulatif bin Rashid Al Zayani.

“I appreciated the opportunity to speak with Foreign Minister Al-Zayani about the new security and economic agreement that our two nations will sign this week. We discussed regional de-escalation efforts and a potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which I believe must advance both a two-state solution and the long-term security of Israel,” said Murphy. “I also strongly raised my concerns regarding the imprisonment of prisoners of conscience, including Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, and pushed for his humanitarian release to Denmark as his medical condition is deteriorating.”

Earlier today, Murphy also met with Maryam al-Khawaja, a Bahraini human rights activist whose father Abdulhadi al-Khawaja has been wrongfully imprisoned since leading peaceful protests during the Arab Spring in 2011.

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