HRC37 Intervention on Cybersurveillance and Cyber Attacks on Bahraini and Emirati Activists

On Tuesday 6 March, at the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, ADHRB’s legal fellow, Bridget Quitter delivered an intervention during the Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteurs on privacy and sale of children. In her intervention, she raised the Bahraini and Emirati government’s use of cyber technology to spy on their citizens,[…]

Bahrain Confirms Closure of Al-Wefaq, Continues Arbitrary Prosecution of its Leaders

Yesterday, on 19 February 2018, Bahrain’s Court of Cassation ruled to uphold the arbitrary dissolution of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society – the country’s largest political opposition group which was originally closed in July 2016. The same day, 19 February, the government announced that the High Criminal Court again adjourned the trial of Sheikh Ali Salman,[…]

UAE Cybersecurity Law Threatens Freedom of Expression

On 21 July 2016, President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued new legislation further intensifying existing cybercrime laws enacted under Federal Law No. 5 of 2012. The amendment, Federal Law No. 12 of 2016, punishes Internet users who use counterfeited IP addresses with the intent to commit a crime[…]

Internet Censorship and Surveillance in the UAE

On 29 June 2016, various internet users in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) reported that Middle East Eye, an online news organization, was blocked by Emirati authorities. Internet users in the country receive the following official message when attempting to visit the website: “Access to this site is currently blocked.” Middle East Eye notes that[…]

State of Repression: The United Arab Emirates

17 March 2016 – Geneva, Switzerland – Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), the European Center for Democracy & Human Rights (ECDHR), Index on Censorship, and the Saudi Organization for Rights and Freedoms presented a side event at the 31st Session of the Human[…]