Bahrain: Sheikh Nasser Appointed to Top Security Post despite Evidence of Torture

4 October 2017 – On 28 September 2017, Bahrain’s king appointed his son, Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, to serve as a member of the Supreme Defense Council (SDC) despite credible allegations he directly tortured detainees in 2011. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) strongly condemns Sheikh Nasser’s promotion to one[…]

Further Arbitrary Harassment of Detained Human Rights Defender Ebtesam al-Saegh

29 September 2017 – Today the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) have learned that detained human rights defender Ebtesam al-Saegh has been subjected to further arbitrary harassment by authorities at Isa Town Women’s Detention Center, where she has been held since July. In[…]

ADHRB Welcomes the Establishment of an Expert-Led Investigation into Rights Abuses in Yemen

On 29 September 2017, the 36th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council passed by consensus a compromise resolution requesting that High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussain establish a Group of Eminent International and Regional Experts to carry out a “comprehensive examination of all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights[…]

Profiles in Persecution: Ahmed Mohamed al-Arab

Ahmed Mohamed al-Arab is a 25-year-old nursing student who is currently being held in Bahrain’s Jau Prison. Since security forces detained him on 9 January 2014, he has suffered torture as well as degrading treatment that has compromised his health and his dignity. He has received multiple injuries that have not been allowed to heal[…]

At Least 16 More Arrests in Saudi Arabia Amid Succession and Qatar Crisis

Over the past several weeks – since early September – Saudi security forces have arrested at least 16 people perceived to be critical of Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince, and of the government’s policies towards Qatar. The detained individuals include prominent religious figures, writers, journalists, academics, and activists like Abdulaziz al-Shubaily and Issa al-Hamid,[…]