02/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - EU criticises arrest of human rights activist, Nabeel Rajab. On Thursday 2 October, the European Union expressed its concerns about the recent arrest of the President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, Nabeel Rajab, following his interrogation by the Criminal Investigation Directorate upon his return to Bahrain from Europe the previous day. The interrogation focused on tweets, which are alleged to have been disparaging of the government institutions. Michael Mann, a spokesman for Catherine Ashton, stated that, “while every citizen ought to comply with the law, we strongly believe that freedom of expression is a cornerstone of democratic societies”. He also said that the EU would closely follow the judicial proceedings and is “hoping that due legal process and transparency will be ensured”. Mann added: “Fair and impartial justice is a key requirement to overcome the current challenges in Bahrain”. Rajab visited the European Parliament on 25 September (see EUROPE 11163). (CG)