UAE Cybersecurity Law Threatens Freedom of Expression

On 21 July 2016, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued new legislation further intensifying existing cybercrime laws enacted under Federal Law No. 5 of 2012. The amendment, Federal Law No. 12 of 2016, punishes Internet users who use counterfeited IP addresses with the intent to commit a crime[…]

New Saudi Documentary Uncovers Life Behind the Facade

Sabria S. Jawhar, a writer for Arab News, has heavily criticized a new documentary called “Saudi Arabia Uncovered.” The documentary details the current state of Saudi Arabia, highlighting various ways in which its citizens lack basic human rights and authorities suppress free political expression. The documentary calls attention to the failing economy, conflict in the[…]

Labor Scams Continue in Kuwait

The government of Zimbabwe reports that 150 Zimbabwean women remain stranded in Kuwait after a human trafficking syndicate had promised them lucrative jobs in the country. According to the All Africa Herald, the scam allegedly involved the staff of Kuwait’s embassy in Harare. So far, 15 women have been successfully repatriated.   In 2015, Kuwait’s[…]

ADHRB and other NGOs petition for release of Qatari poet Mohammed al-Ajami

Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), Freedom Now, Amnesty International, English PEN, PEN International, and Split this Rock held demonstrations on Thursday, 25 February, in London and Washington to call for the release of Mohammed al-Ajami, a Qatari poet who has been imprisoned since 2011. Qatari authorities arrested al-Ajami in November of[…]

February 14th Anniversary Round-up

Voices from the Ground: February 14th As part of ADHRB’s Voices from the Ground interview series, we spoke with Bahraini human rights activists about their experiences during the country’s peaceful uprising and the historical significance of the protests at the Pearl Roundabout. According to one activist, the protests represented “a quantum leap for Bahrain. Following 14[…]