The cases of Mr Alwadaei and his family members are well known to the High Representative/Vice-President and to the European External Action Service. The EU Delegation in Riyadh (which is also accredited to Bahrain) has been monitoring this and other individual cases as well as the overall human rights situation in Bahrain since 2011, liaising with relevant Bahraini institutions notably the Bahrain Ombudsman office and acting in concert with EU Member States represented in Manama.

The EU pursues its engagement with the Bahraini authorities, including within the informal dialogue on human rights between the EU and Bahrain. Its second session took place in April 2017 in Brussels. As part of its overall approach, which aims to be supportive of Bahrain's stability through reforms and genuine reconciliation, the EU continues to advocate with the Bahraini authorities that respect for human rights and individual freedoms is crucial for a peaceful, stable and thriving society and that security concerns can never justify human rights violations nor hinder their respect.

These messages have been regularly delivered to Bahraini authorities both at the political and at the technical level. The EU will continue to discuss these individual cases and wider human rights issues with the Government of Bahrain through all available means at EU's disposal.