Kuwait Raises Free Speech Restrictions to Parliamentary Level

The public prosecution in Kuwait recently issued a directive to all exit borders for the arrest of Kuwaiti Member of Parliament (MP) Abdul Hamid Dashti upon his attempted return to the country. Dashti is still abroad and said that such a measure is unprecedented, claiming it will be a “disaster for civil liberties in Kuwait.”[…]

Human Rights Go Missing During Secretary Kerry’s Visit to Bahrain

On 7 April, US Secretary of State John Kerry met with the Foreign Ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) while on his three-day trip to Bahrain. During his meeting with the GCC Foreign Ministers, they discussed regional security concerns mainly in Syria, Iran, Yemen, and Daésh.  An equally important issue in the region, human[…]

Qatar: Combating Terror or Abusing Human Rights?

Despite claims of supporting counter-terrorism policies, Qatar continues to abuse the human rights of citizens and non-citizens in the name of fighting terrorism, security and economic stability. On April 4, during a meeting in Washington D.C. with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed al-Thani said that their approach of combating[…]

New Saudi Documentary Uncovers Life Behind the Facade

Sabria S. Jawhar, a writer for Arab News, has heavily criticized a new documentary called “Saudi Arabia Uncovered.” The documentary details the current state of Saudi Arabia, highlighting various ways in which its citizens lack basic human rights and authorities suppress free political expression. The documentary calls attention to the failing economy, conflict in the[…]

A Somber April Fool’s Day in Bahrain

On April 1, Americans said April Fools’ Day as they played pranks on each other and laughed it off. On the other side of the world in Bahrain, April 1 marked the fifth anniversary of Bahrain 13 member Sheikh Abdullah Isa al-Mahroos’s imprisonment. In 2011, members of Bahrain’s National Security Apparatus and government security forces[…]