Thirty-six countries have signed an open letter criticising Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.

The letter, read at a meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Thursday, is the first collective rebuke of the kingdom.

It urges Saudi Arabia to release human rights activists jailed for exercising their fundamental freedoms and to disclose all information available about the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

It also called for the release of women rights defenders Loujain al-Hathloul, Hatoon al-Fassi and Samar Badawi and others jailed after campaigning for human rights in the country.

The collective rebuke was signed by all countries in the European Union plus Australia, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, Liechtenstein, Monaco and Montenegro.