The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has slammed Iraq’s Foreign Ministry for criticizing a decision by the Bahrain government to imprison an opposition leader.

On Monday, the GCC’s Secretary General Abdullatif Al-Zayani gave the Iraqi Charge d’affaires in Riyadh Ahmad Anwar Abdul-Hameed, an official protest letter regarding the statement.

The GCC said the statement represented a “flagrant and unacceptable interference in Bahrain’s internal affairs, prejudiced the independence of the judiciary and encroached on the principle of national sovereignty, in total breach of the charters of the Arab League and the United Nations as well as the principles of good neighborliness.”

The GCC said the Bahraini man imprisoned had broken the country’s laws. It said that the GCC was concerned about statements that would have “repercussions on the stability of Bahrain and the region,” and harm its relations with Iraq.

The GCC also urged the Iraqi government to tackle terrorist groups operating on its soil who were intent on targeting its six member states. The protest note called for an “immediate and final halt of all forms of interference in the affairs of Bahrain or any of the GCC states, under whatever pretext, from Iraqi official or non-official bodies.”

Copyright: Arab News © 2015 All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).