Assessing Saudi Arabia’s New Law on Domestic Workers

Saudi Arabia faces complexities of informal domestic work, a sector marked by vulnerabilities and abuses. Despite some efforts towards regulation, the issue of domestic workers in the kingdom remains a pressing concern. While Decision No. 310/1434 of 2013 extended certain protections to this marginalized workforce, significant gaps persisted, leaving workers exposed to exploitation. Under the[…]

Saudi Aramco-FIFA Sponsorship Deal : Another Case of Blatant Sportwashing

Aramco, a leading energy and chemicals Saudi public company, has signed a four-year global partnership with the International Association Football Federation (FIFA). The company will become FIFA’s Major Worldwide Partner exclusive in the energy category, with sponsorship rights for multiple events including the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 26 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.[…]

Ethical Dilemmas in Diplomacy: The Biden Administration and Bahrain’s Human Rights

The United States has been increasing its focus on the Middle East since World War II. In order to maintain a consistent U.S. Navy presence in the region, the Middle East Force was established in 1949. This allowed for broader engagement, leading to a significant military partnership.                […]

Bahrain pardoned 1584 unjustly jailed prisoners, yet 600 remain behind bars and on death row

The pardon of more than 1500 prisoners on April 8th by Bahraini king Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa  has taken activists by surprise. While officials portray the amnesty as a benevolent gesture aimed at fostering reconciliation and healing societal divisions, it can be more accurately viewed as a calculated manoeuvre to mitigate rising domestic tensions,[…]

Persistent UAE´s efforts to maintain critics behind bars: a new mass trial

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has invested deeply into portraying itself as a progressive, tolerant and human rights-compliant state. This strategy, however, as in other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, clashes with a reality in which activists and dissidents are detained and tried for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association. The recent[…]