The Saudi Association for Civil and Political Rights’ Abdulaziz al-Shubaily

Abdulaziz al-Shubaily is a Saudi human rights lawyer and founding member of the Saudi Association for Civil and Political Rights (ACPRA). For years he represented prisoners of conscience, women activists, and fellow ACPRA members. In June 2016, the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) sentenced al-Shubaily to eight years in prison as a result of his work with ACPRA. As one[…]

Case Update: Faisal Hayyat sentenced to three months in prison

Last week, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) and 45 other NGOs submitted a letter to the Bahraini government calling for the immediate release of Faisal Hayyat. Hayyat is a renowned sports journalist who was detained and tortured by the government during the unrest of 2011. The Bahraini government rearrested him in[…]

Government of Bahrain charges human rights lawyer Mohammad al-Tajer

In November 2016, the Government of Bahrain charged prominent human rights lawyer Mohammad al-Tajer with “insulting government institutions, inciting hatred of a religious sect, and misusing a telecommunications appliance.” If convicted, al-Tajer could face more than five years in prison. No date has been set for his trial. Bahrain’s public prosecutors cited a private WhatsApp[…]

The Saudi Association for Civil and Political Rights’ Mohammad al-Bajadi

One year ago this month, the Saudi Association for Civil and Political Rights (ACPRA) co-founder Mohammad al-Bajadi was discharged from al-Hayer prison after serving a four-year sentence. He spent the next four months in Saudi Arabia’s notorious Mohammed bin Nayef Center for Counseling and Care, an extremist rehabilitation center, despite his lifelong record of non-violent,[…]

In “bizarre” summons, Bahraini authorities attempt to interrogate exiled activist

On 16 November 2016, the Government of Bahrain sent masked civilian police and riot police to surround the house of Asma Darwish’s family in Sitra, Bahrain. Authorities sent the police to Darwish’s house to summon her to Bahrain’s Public Prosecution Office (PPO) the next day for charges of “illegal gathering” she allegedly participated in three[…]