Anti-terror Laws Threaten Human Rights Defenders in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia & UAE

On 14 November 2014, six leading human rights NGOs held a discussion in Washington, DC on human rights violations by Gulf countries that are partners of the United States in the fight against ISIS. “Criminalization of Dissent in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates” put the focus on countries which routinely jail those who advocate democratic reform and[…]

Bahrain Weekly Newsletter 77

  The Revolt That Never Went Away – Bahrain: An Inconvenient Uprising  Like many countries in the Middle East and beyond, Bahrain erupted with anti-authoritarian protests in 2011 when the Arab Spring took the region and many of its repressive leaders by surprise. While Arab Spring uprisings found favor with many in the West, unfortunately for the people[…]

Bahrain Weekly Newsletter 76

  NGOs Urge Bahrain to Drop Charges, Lift Travel Ban on Nabeel Rajab 3 November 2014 – On 2 November, a Bahraini court ordered the release of prominent human rights defender Nabeel Rajab and postponed his trail until 20 January 2015, on the condition of a ban on his travel outside of the country. Americans for Democracy & Human[…]

NGOs Welcome European Union Statement on Bahrain at the United Nations

30 October 2014 – Today, H.E. Thomas Mayr-Harting, Head of the European Union Delegation to the United Nations, expressed concern over the situation in Bahrain during a statement on the promotion and protection of human rights at the Third Committee meeting of the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Americans for Democracy &[…]

Bahrain Dodging Truth at the Third Committee

The Third Committee of the United Nations General Assembly is tasked with monitoring global human rights developments. At the meetings of the Third Committee, delegates hear reports by a team of UN experts known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. On 23 October 2014, the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders spoke[…]