Bahrain Upholds 10-Year Sentence for Photojournalist Sayed Ahmed al-Mousawi in Further Attack on Press Freedom

On 27 March 2018, a Bahraini appellate court confirmed the 10-year prison sentence and arbitrary denaturalization of photojournalist Sayed Ahmed al-Mousawi. In 2017, Bahrain’s highest court reversed the original ruling, leading to the new appeal. Though al-Mousawi has the opportunity to petition the Court of Cassation again, he remains arbitrarily detained. Bahraini authorities first arrested[…]

Prosecution calls for “Maximum Penalty” Against Bahraini Opposition Leader Sheikh Ali Salman

Bahrain’s Public Prosecution presented its argument in the new case against arbitrarily imprisoned opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman today, 8 March 2018, calling for the “maximum penalty” to be imposed on the politician and his two in absentia codefendants, Sheikh Hassan Ali Juma Sultan and Ali Mehdi Ali Al Aswad. The three men – all[…]

UPDATED: Bahrain Sentences Nabeel Rajab to Additional 5-Year Prison Term in Blatant Violation of Free Expression

**Update: On 22 February 2018, the United States Department of State issued multiple calls on the Government of Bahrain to release imprisoned human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. The US Mission to the United Nations first published a statement to Twitter: “The United States is disappointed by Bahrain’s decision to sentence human rights activist NABEELRAJAB, and we reiterate[…]

UAE Rights Record Scrutinized During UN UPR Review

22 January 2018 – Today, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council conducted the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dozens of states issued recommendations to the Emirati Government, urging human rights reforms on a variety of thematic issue areas ranging from free expression and capital punishment to migrant[…]

Bahrain Confirms Two-Year Sentence for Nabeel Rajab, Moves toward Conclusion of Separate Twitter Trial

16 January 2018 – Yesterday, the Bahraini Court of Cassation rejected human rights defender Nabeel Rajab’s appeal and confirmed his two-year prison sentence for discussing restrictions on free expression and the press in several television interviews. Yesterday also saw the latest hearing in a separate case against Rajab in which he faces prosecution over tweets[…]