Saudi Activist Raif Badawi Spends Fifth Year in Prison

Today marks the fifth anniversary of activist and blogger Raif Badawi’s arbitrary detention in Saudi Arabia. On 17 June 2012, Saudi officials arrested Badawi on charges of apostasy for allegedly insulting Islam in his online publications and establishing the website “Free Saudi Liberals,” a forum for discussion. The Saudi government sentenced Badawi to ten years[…]

HRC35 Item 4 Oral Intervention: Rights Violations in Duraz and Awamiyah

On 16 June 2017, ADHRB’s Advocacy Associate delivered an oral intervention during the Item 4 debate of the 35th session of the Human Rights Council. In his intervention, Pry raised a number of human rights violations in both Duraz, Bahrain and Awamiyah, Saudi Arabia, in particular the denial of the right to free assembly and[…]

NGOs send letter to UN on 1-year anniversary of the arrest of Nabeel Rajab

Today,13 June 2017, 14 international human rights NGOs sent letters to all UN Member and Observer states urging them to call for the immediate release of Nabeel Rajab and all charges against him dropped. The Bahraini government has brought two cases against Rajab, one for tweet and one for media interviews. Bahraini authorities have subjected Rajab[…]

HRC35 Item 3 Oral Intervention: Bahrain’s Restriction of Free Expression and Opinion

On 13 June 2017, Moritz Neubert delivered an oral intervention on behalf of ADHRB under the 35th session of the Human Rights Council’s Item 3 interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to freedom of expression and opinion. In his intervention, Neubert raised the issue of Bahrain’s restriction of free expression, including of[…]

UAE Sentences Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith to 10 Years in Prison

29 March 2017—Today the Abu Dhabi Court of Appeals issued its final verdict against prominent Emirati academic and economist Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, sentencing him to ten years in prison. Dr. bin Ghaith faced several charges related to exercising his rights to free expression and association. His sentencing comes nine days after Emirati authorities arrested and[…]