On 6 December, United States President Donald Trump issued a brief statement in which he called on the Government of Saudi Arabia to end its blockade of Yemen. In his statement, President Trump addressed the blockade as a humanitarian issue and stated that he had directed a member of his administration to reach out to[…]
On 4 December 2017, the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein announced his official appointments for the Group of Eminent Experts on Yemen. The members are Kamel Jendoubi of Tunisia, who will serve as chairperson, Melissa Parke of Australia, and Charles Garraway of the United Kingdom. The Group’s establishment[…]
**Update 23 April 2019 – Today, the Saudi government carried out the executions of 37 men, including Munir Al Adam. His case had drawn the attention of UN bodies, including Special Procedures (SAU 5/2016 and SAU 7/2017), and the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) issued a decision on his case finding Saudi Arabia in violation of its[…]
On 1 November 2017, Saudi Arabia established a new counter-terrorism law. This law, consisting of 96 articles (27 of which deal solely with punishments), replaces and expands upon the last counter-terror law passed in December 2013. Instead of using the nearly four years since the last passage of law to improve legislation roundly criticized for[…]
14 November 2017 – The United States (US) House of Representatives passed on 13 November 2017 a resolution stating that American military support to the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen is not authorized under legislation passed by Congress to fight al-Qaeda or invade Iraq. The text, introduced by Representatives Ro Khanna (D-CA) and James McGovern (D-MA),[…]