USCIRF Categorizes Bahrain as a Tier 2 Violator of Religious Freedom

26 April 2017 – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has today released its 2017 Annual Report, categorizing Bahrain as a Tier 2 country for the first time “due to deteriorating religious freedom conditions.” Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) welcomes USCIRF’s continued documentation of religious discrimination in Bahrain[…]

A Summary of the UN Committee Against Torture’s Review of Bahrain

On 20 March and 24 March 2017, Bahrain was reviewed by the UN Committee Against Torture in Geneva, Switzerland. A Bahraini government delegation led by Assistant to the Foreign Minister, Abdulla bin Faisal bin Jabur al-Doseri, updated the UN Committee on Bahrain’s efforts to implement the Convention Against Torture (CAT), which it acceded to in[…]

ADHRB Condemns Election of Saudi Arabia to UN’s Commission on Status of Women

Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) strongly condemns the election of Saudi Arabia to the United Nations Women’s Rights Commission. The kingdom’s election to the Commission grants it influence on a range of women’s issues despite its own policies of strict gender separation and male guardianship. The Commission on the Status of[…]

US officials should seek assurances from NSA Ombudsman following reinstatement of arrest powers

In February 2017, members of the US Embassy met with the National Security Agency (NSA) Ombudsman’s Office. This is the first publicized meeting between US officials and the NSA Ombudsman since Bahraini authorities restored arresting powers to the NSA. A brief readout of the meeting stated that NSA Ombudsman received two political officers from the[…]

Saudi HRD Mohammed al-Otaibi faces prosecution if extradited from Qatar

The Government of Saudi Arabia is pressuring the Government of Qatar to extradite Saudi activist Mohammed Abdullah al-Otaibi from Qatar, where he is seeking political asylum, back to Saudi Arabia. If Qatar gives into the Saudi government’s pressure, al-Otaibi is at risk of being arbitrarily detained and sentenced to prison in an unfair trial, if[…]