36 countries signed statement criticizing Saudi's human rights record at UNHRC

At least 36 countries including all 28 EU members have signed a statement criticising Saudi Arabia's human rights record at the United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday, diplomats said.

The statement will be the first rebuke of the kingdom since the U.N. forum was set up in 2006. The text, to be read out by Harald Aspelund, Iceland's ambassador to the Geneva talks, calls on Saudi authorities to release detained activists and cooperate with a U.N.-led probe into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. "It is a success for Europe to be united on this," an envoy of an EU country told Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies.)