Top Officials Endorse Police Campaign Against Digital Rights in Bahrain

11 April 2018 – Two weeks ago, Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced it would expand efforts to suppress online criticism and arrested five individuals on charges related to “misuse of social media” or similar allegations. Bahraini state media reports indicate that the number of digital rights arrests has grown to at least 12[1] since[…]

UAE 94: Five Years, No Progress

This spring marks the five-year anniversary of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) prosecution of the “UAE 94” – 94 peaceful political activists who were charged in 2013 because of their dissident activities in 2011. The defendants came from all walks of life, and were on trial because they advocated for political reforms in the UAE.[…]

NGOs call for release of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja on 7th anniversary of his arrest

Seven years ago this month, renowned human rights defender Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja was dragged from his home in Bahrain, tortured, tried in a military court, and sentenced to life in prison for his peaceful role in 2011 protests. Today, 5 April, on Al-Khawaja’s 57th birthday, the undersigned human rights organisations call for his immediate release and[…]

An Overview of ADHRB Engagement at the 37th Session of the UN Human Rights Council

From 26 February to 23 March 2018, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) participated in the 37th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva to bring increased attention to the ongoing human rights abuses in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and other countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Over[…]

Bahrain Intensifies Reprisals Against Activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei and Family

Amid increasing repression of domestic civil society, the Government of Bahrain has stepped up its reprisal campaign against exiled human rights activist Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, the Director of Advocacy for the London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD). In recent months, Bahraini authorities have repeatedly targeted four different members of Sayed Ahmed’s family with[…]