ADHRB Welcomes UN Rights Experts’ Call for Release of Saudi Women’s Rights Activists

29 June 2018 – Two days ago, nine United Nations Special Rapporteurs released a joint statement urging Saudi Arabia to immediately release several women’s right defenders arrested for their activism throughout the kingdom in late May 2018. In their statement, these independent human rights experts condemned the arrests and iterated their concerns over the continued[…]

French President Macron must make human rights a priority in Mohammed bin Salman meeting

6 April 2018 – Today, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) sent two letters, to French President Emmanuel Macron and French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Paris on 9 – 10 April. In both letters, ADHRB urged President Macron and Foreign Minister[…]

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Travels the US Amid Rights Abuses

In mid-March, Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman (often referred to by his initials, MbS), wrapped up a trip the United Kingdom and traveled to the United States (US) for a two-week visit starting Monday, 19 March. MbS’s visit comes at a time when he is attempting to bring desperately needed social reforms to[…]

Changes in Saudi Arabia Might Not Result in a More Open Society

Following his September announcement that Saudi Arabia’s driving ban on women will be lifted in 2018, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this week unveiled two new measures that are part of his Vision 2030 for Saudi Arabia: the country will allow women to enter sport stadiums and it will build “NEOM,” a $500 billion mega-city[…]

King Salman Announces Reforms to Guardianship Requirements, but is it Enough?

Saudi Arabia has long been known for limiting women’s rights with its onerous male guardianship system. However, recently King Salman issued an order that allows Saudi women to benefit from services such as education and access to healthcare without requiring prior permission from their male guardian. If his order is fully implemented, it could be[…]