Dispatch: Germany Must Not Enable the Human Rights Violations of its Gulf Allies

Bahrain and Germany’s bilateral relations, which date back to 17 May 1972, have helped enable the Bahraini government to usher in an era of unprecedented repression and human rights violations. Over the past 44 years, Germany has engaged in substantial military and security cooperation with Bahrain and the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states despite[…]

NGOs call for human rights abuses to be addressed in the forthcoming EU-GCC Ministerial Meeting

18 July 2016 – With the 25th European Union-Gulf Cooperation Council (EU-GCC) Ministerial meeting set to take place in Brussels on 18 July 2016, we, the undersigned organisations, call on Ms Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, as well as the ministers of EU member states, to[…]

Bahraini court dissolves Al-Wefaq, the largest political opposition group in the country

17 July 2016-The High Civil Court today ordered the dissolution and liquidation of all assets of the largest political opposition bloc in Bahrain, Al-Wefaq Political Society. The undersigned NGOs strongly condemn the government’s latest efforts to suppress all forms of peaceful dissent as it continues to target Bahraini civil society. On 14 June 2016, Bahraini[…]

Return of Electronic Witch Hunt in Bahrain Leads to the Arrest of Ali Abdulraheem

14 July 2016 – The Government of Bahrain is targeting public sector employees found in photos and videos of sit-ins with arrest and further punishment. We, the undersigned NGOs, condemn the return of this practice, which violates people’s right to assembly. On 12 July 2016, Ali Abdulraheem, an official at the state Labour Market Regulatory[…]

Diraz: A Community Under Siege

13 July 2016 – On 20 June, Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior revoked the nationality of Sheikh Isa Qassim, the spiritual leader of Bahrain’s Shia community, rendering him stateless. In response, hundreds of demonstrators began a peaceful sit-in around Sheikh Qassim’s home in the village of Diraz, where he also preaches. Since then, the authorities have[…]