22 September 2016 – Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) expresses serious concern regarding the United States Senate’s decision yesterday to table a bipartisan resolution halting a $1.15 billion arms sale to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Senate’s failure to block this arms sale threatens to deepen US complicity in Saudi[…]
In countries with limited democratic processes, civil society organizations are essential outlets through which citizens engage with their communities, contribute their ideas on the state, and address domestic human rights issues. However, in Saudi Arabia authorities repress what little opportunity citizens have to participate in nongovernmental associations (NGOs) through an onerous and restrictive licensing policy[…]
Since 2011, Saudi authorities have arrested more than 60 children, among them Ali al-Nimr, Abdullah al-Zaher, Dawood al-Marhoon, Ali al-Rabeh, and Amin Mohammed Aqla al-Ghamidi. It has executed some of them, including al-Rabeh and al-Ghamidi. Others, like al-Nimr, al-Zaher, and al-Marhoon, remain in custody awaiting execution or the death penalty. At least 10 young men[…]
Next week, Saudi Arabia will be reviewed by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child regarding its progress in the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). ADHRB submitted its own assessment to the Committee, which highlights a total failure by Saudi Arabia to protect even the most basic[…]
Last week members of Parliament (MPs) in the United Kingdom (UK) debated on whether to call for a suspension on arms sales to Saudi Arabia, in light of mounting evidence of indiscriminate bombing by the Saudi-led coalition during the 18-month-old Yemen civil war. The debate was an opportunity for the country that is the second largest arms[…]