Human Rights in the UAE: Insights from the Fourth Universal Periodic Review

Fourth Cycle UPR Overview During the fourth Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), numerous recommendations were made by states urging human rights reforms across various thematic areas, especially freedom of expression, death penalty, torture, independence of the judiciary and fair trial. In total, 323 recommendations were presented to the State[…]

Universal Periodic Review on Saudi Arabia, May 2024

Saudi Arabia’s human rights record continues to be deeply concerning. This report includes the four most alarming points at present in Saudi Arabia;  including the killing of migrants, repression of dissidents and systemic discrimination against women. The following sectors covered by this report violate international Human Rights standards and demand urgent attention. Criminal Justice, Arbitrary[…]

ADHRB at HRC55 raised concerns about Bahrain’s failure in adhering to the recommendations of the UPR

On 26th March 2024, ADHRB delivered an intervention at the United Nation Human Rights Council session 55 under item 6 during the General debate. ADHRB raised concerns about Bahrain’s failure in adhering to the recommendations of the UPR. Despite the Bahraini government’s pledge to abide by the recommendations of the Fourth Universal Periodic Review, we[…]

Analysing the UPR of Saudi Arabia: New Recommendations and Foreseeable Developments – Counter Terrorism Legislation (Part Three)

The crackdown on online expression by the Saudi Arabian government has been reported extensively. In 2014, Human Rights Watch (HRW) denounced Saudi prosecutors and judges for using vague expressions of terrorism to try Saudi citizens for peaceful tweets and social media activities. The counter-terrorism legislation was criminalising activity harming the public order, religious values, and[…]

Analysing the UPR of Saudi Arabia: New Recommendations and Foreseeable Developments – Death Penalty (Part Two)

Saudi Arabia has recently received a review of its human rights records during the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review on 22 January 2024. In this instance, it has received 35 recommendations on using the death penalty. Before this, in 2018, it had already received various recommendations on reforming the use of the death[…]