Bahraini Court Issues Two New Death Sentences Amid Torture Allegations

8 June 2016 – Bahraini courts sentenced two victims of torture to death on Tuesday amid serious concerns that the judiciary failed to uphold basic fair trial and due process guarantees, despite international outcry over recent executions carried out by the Kingdom. We, the undersigned, condemn the authorities’ use of torture and capital punishment and[…]

ADHRB at HRC35 Bahrain Event Summary: Reprisals for Cooperation with the HRC

On 7 June 2017, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) hosted a side event during the 35th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The event, entitled, “Bahrain Reprisals: Targeting Civil Society for Cooperation with the United Nations,” focused on the worsening trend of reprisals against civil society activists for[…]

Transfer of Saudi Juvenile Detainee Renews Concerns over Abuse of Child Prisoners

On 25 May, the Saudi government transferred Murtaja Algariras, a minor, to the General Directorate of Investigations (GDI) prison in al-Dammam. The GDI, also known as al-Mabahith, has a reputation for torturing prisoners, renewing concerns that Saudi authorities are subjecting juvenile detainees like Algariras to abuse. Algariras was arbitrarily arrested on 20 September 2014 while[…]

HRC35 Item 2 Oral Intervention: Bahrain Reprisals Against Activists

On 7 June 2017, at the 35th session of the Human Rights Council, Yusuf al-Hoori delivered an oral intervention on behalf of ADHRB and BIRD under the Item 2 debate. During his intervention, Yusuf raised the issue of reprisals against Bahraini human rights activists, including Ebtisam al-Saegh and Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei. He discussed the deepening[…]

Bahrain Interrogates, Tortures Ebtisam al-Saegh as HRC35 Approaches

31 May 2017 – On 26 May 2017, Bahraini security forces subjected human rights defender Ebtisam al-Saegh to seven hours of torture and interrogation over her activism, including her engagement with United Nations (UN) human rights mechanisms. The Bahraini government’s actions in this regard represent the latest in a series of acts of harassment and[…]