On 17 February 2015, seventeen year-old American-Bahraini Abdullah Jaffar was sentenced to two years in prison. Charged with participating in illegal gatherings, possessing Molotov cocktails, and attacking a policeman, his conviction was based exclusively on a false confession he provided after enduring sustained physical abuse at the hands of security officers following his arrest on[…]
22
Jan
Jan
In 2008, the government of Saudi Arabia established the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) under the guise of prosecuting terrorism-related cases. In the seven years since its inception, however, the court has used anti-terrorism legislation to target human rights activists and government critics. The new Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing allows the[…]
02
Dec
Dec
The past few months have been challenging for the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Sony announced that it will not renew its sponsorship contract with FIFA, following a similar announcement from Emirates Airlines earlier this month. Recent allegations of bribery resulted in an internal ethics investigation, while more than 1,200 migrant workers have died[…]
28
Oct
Oct
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[…]
23
Oct
Oct
The United Nations can only successfully address human rights issues if it has the full and honest cooperation of all states involved in its protection processes. This month’s meeting of the Third Committee of the U.N. General Assembly, a body tasked with monitoring the findings of the Human Rights Council and addressing human rights concerns[…]
