CERD Releases its Concluding Observations on Racial Discrimination in Saudi Arabia

15 May 2018 – On Friday 11 May, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) released its concluding observations for its review of Saudi Arabia. In its observations, the Committee voices a number of concerns about Saudi Arabia’s treatment of its racial minorities and offers recommendations to bring the kingdom’s practices in line[…]

US-Saudi Cooperation is Cause for Concern as US Deepens its Role in Yemen Conflict

The United States (US) has secretly had at least a dozen Green Beret troops on the ground in Saudi Arabia, near the border with Yemen, since the end of 2017. This comes as something of a surprise given the Pentagon’s repeated statements stressing that American military involvement in the conflict in Yemen was solely limited[…]

Saudi’s First Movie in 35 Years Champions Equality, Something Saudi Arabia Continues to Repress

After a longtime ban – spanning over three-decades – Saudi Arabia has re-introduce cinema into society. The decision is part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s series of social reforms, as he brands himself a ‘modern’ and a ‘reformer’ in the international community. In reality, this is far from the case. The small steps he[…]

On World Press Freedom Day, the Gulf Countries Remain Areas of Grave Concern

Today marks the United Nation’s 25th World Press Freedom Day – celebrating the fundamental principles of press freedom and evaluating its status around the world. As Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) participates in the 25th United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) commemoration of the event in Accra, Ghana –[…]

USCIRF Highlights Continued Systematic Religious Freedom Violations in Saudi Arabia

30 April 2018 – On Friday 27 April, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2018 annual report, “documenting religious freedom violations and progress in 28 countries during the 2017 calendar year and making recommendations to the United States (US) government.” In the report, USCIRF notes that throughout 2017, “religious freedom[…]