Exposing Hypocrisy: The EU’s Failure to Defend Human Rights in the Case of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja

In 2011, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, a prominent Bahraini-Danish human rights defender, was arrested for advocating for civil and political freedoms in Bahrain. He was convicted under an emergency royal decree issued in response to widespread protests against the regime that year. The royal decree, entitled “State of National Safety”, enables authorities to prosecute individuals for any[…]

Incomprehensible ideas to address climate change: a futuristic ski resort in the middle of the Saudi desert

Snow-covered mountains, people skiing, and luxury accommodations are some of the images Saudi Arabia wants to imprint in people’s minds about Trojena, one of four major parts, alongside The Line, Oxagon, and Sindalah, of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s brainchild: “NEOM”, a $550 billion “giga-project” that aims to show the world Saudi Arabia’s grand[…]

Arbitrary Deprivation of Nationality in Bahrain: A Legal and Human Rights Crisis

The Bahraini Constitution of 2002 stipulates that “a person cannot be deprived of its citizenship except in cases of treason” and as provided by law. The acquisition, loss, and withdrawal of citizenship are governed by the Bahraini Citizenship Act of 1963, which has been amended several times, most recently in 2019. To suppress dissenting voices,[…]

Kuwait Dissolves Parliament: A Step Back for Democracy

Kuwait has been known to be the most democratic country in the Middle East. Article 6 of its constitution states that the “system of government shall be democratic, under which sovereignty resides with the people”. However, in the last decade, there have been several dissolutions of the parliament, which have led to numerous elections. Since[…]

Saudi Arabia’s violent crackdown, unjust accountability

Saudi Arabia has recently cracked down on migrants in the Kingdom, resulting in the arrest of 19,662 individuals, all in a matter of a few days; 15,200 of which were foreigners to Saudi soil. From April 24th to May 1st, 12,436 arrests were for residency violations, 4,464 for border security breaches, and 2,762 for labour[…]