10 July 2017 – The United Kingdom’s High Court yesterday rejected a judicial review filed by the Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT) questioning the legality of the UK’s arms sales to Saudi Arabia in light of the kingdom’s deadly involvement in the conflict in Yemen. The High Court’s judgement clears the way for the UK[…]
Today marks the fifth anniversary of activist and blogger Raif Badawi’s imprisonment in Saudi Arabia on charges of apostasy and allegedly insulting Islam in his blog “Free Saudi Liberals.” Americans for Democracy (ADHRB) strongly condemns his continued imprisonment and the Saudi government’s suppression of free expression and targeting of critics. Saudi authorities detained Badawi on[…]
On June 8, Saudi women’s rights activist Manal al Sharif gave an interview with NPR and the next day she wrote an op-ed for the New York Times. In both pieces, she discusses how women cannot drive in the kingdom, the guardianship system that underpins such restrictions, and her activism challenging the societal norm. She[…]
13 June 2017 – Today, the United States Senate narrowly voted to approve the sale of more than $500 million of precision-guided missiles (PGM) to Saudi Arabia, with a final vote of 53 – 47 against a resolution to block the sale. The approval of the sale indicates the United States will continue to materially[…]
On 8 June 2017, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) organized a side event during the UN Human Rights Council’s 35th Session in Geneva. Entitled “Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia – Civil society, development, and the UN Commission on Women,” the event addressed the potential future role of women in the country’s[…]