Saudi Arabia Must Implement UPR Recommendations Protecting Freedom of Expression

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On 10 September 2018, 31 human rights organizations signed a letter sent to key foreign ministries in North America, Europe, and Latin America ahead of Saudi Arabia’s 3rd cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and as the 39th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) begins calling on governments to use the opportunities afforded by the[…]

ADHRB Supports Canadian Calls for the Release of Detained Women’s Rights Defenders in Saudi Arabia

8 August – On Sunday 5 August, the Saudi government expelled Dennis Horak, Canada’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, ordering him to leave within 24 hours, while recalling its own ambassador from Ottawa. The decision is a response to a statement by the Canadian Foreign Ministry on 3 August expressing grave concern over Saudi Arabia’s arrest[…]

4 Years Later, Waleed Abu al-Khair Remains Imprisoned in Saudi Arabia for his Human Rights Work

Four years ago, on 6 July 2014, the Specialized Criminal Court sentenced human rights lawyer and activist Waleed Abu al-Khair to 15 years in prison, a 15-year travel ban, and a fine of 200,000 Saudi riyals (approximately USD 53,000). He was sentenced on spurious terrorism charges stemming from his free expression and association, human rights[…]

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[…]

HRC38 Item 3 GD Oral Intervention: Restrictions on Free Expression in Saudi Arabia and the UAE

On Monday 25 June, during the Item 3 General Debate at the 38th session of the Human Rights Council, ADHRB’s Saudi Advocacy Associate Tyler Pry delivered an oral intervention highlighting restrictions on freedom of expression and opinion in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, in particular Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Pry especially noted[…]