Bahrain NGOs Condemn Reprisals against HRDs for UN Engagement

2 September 2016—In the past two weeks, the Bahraini government has prevented a number of human rights defenders from travelling abroad, among them were three members of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR). Nearly 30 activists have been banned from travel since June. We, the undersigned, strongly condemn the Government of Bahrain’s use of[…]

NGOs call on King of Bahrain to release human rights defender Nabeel Rajab

HM Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al KhalifaOffice of HM the KingP.O. Box 555, Rifa’a PalaceKingdom of Bahrain Cc. The Rt Hon Boris Johnson MPSecretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth AffairsForeign & Commonwealth OfficeKing Charles Street, London SW1A2AH Cc. The Honorable John F. KerrySecretary of StateUnited States Department of State2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC[…]

India and the UAE Collaborate Against Forced Labor

On 14 August 2016, India became the first major labor-exporting country to adopt the new labor recruitment procedures initiated by the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The Emirati Labor Minister, H.E. Saqr Ghobash announced three new decrees on 19 December 2015. The new laws, which officially came into effect on 1 January 2016,[…]

Posted in UAE

Time to End Saudi Arabia’s Shameful Position on the Human Rights Council

In 2006 the United Nations (UN) established a new Human Rights Council (HRC) to be “responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.”  The HRC replaced the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) after it had been heavily criticized for allowing countries with poor human rights records to be members. Now,[…]

Understanding the role of UAE women in government

Amal al-Qubaisi, President of the UAE Federal National Council   In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the government restricts men and women’s rights as voters and political candidates. In 2006, the government instituted a public voting process for the country’s 40-member parliamentary body, the Federal National Council (FNC), for the first time. However, authorities have[…]