BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union voiced alarm over Turkey’s detention of several academics and rights activists on Friday, calling for their swift release.

“The detention this morning in Turkey of several prominent academics and civil society representatives is alarming,” the European External Action Service said in a statement.

“Repeated detentions of critical voices and the continued widespread pressure on civil society representatives run counter to the Turkish government’s declared commitment to human rights,” said the EEAS, whose head Federica Mogherini is the EU’s foreign policy chief.

“Turkey needs to release immediately all those detained without due process.”

(This story refiles to fix spelling in first line to say “alarm” not “alarmed”)