UAE Rights Record Scrutinized During UN UPR Review

22 January 2018 – Today, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council conducted the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dozens of states issued recommendations to the Emirati Government, urging human rights reforms on a variety of thematic issue areas ranging from free expression and capital punishment to migrant[…]

UN includes ADHRB assessment in UPR stakeholder report on the UAE, reveals failure to reform

In advance of the 29th Session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council’s Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights (UPR), scheduled for 15-26 January 2018, nearly 20 stakeholders submitted information on reform efforts made by the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which will come under its third-cycle review[…]

Ahead of Bahrain’s “National Day,” ADHRB Calls on the Government to meet its Reform Commitments

15 December 2017 – As the Bahraini government prepares its “National Day” celebrations for 16 December, marking the day the kingdom’s previous ruler Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa formally took power, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) condemns the monarchy’s continued failure to institute promised democratic reforms. Specifically, ADHRB calls on the[…]

Bahrain: Fourth Annual Report of Police Ombudsman Reveals Failure to Fulfill Mandate

On 12 September 2017, the Ombudsman for Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) released its fourth annual report for the period of 1 May 2016 to 30 April 2017. As in its previous report, the Ombudsman’s Office re-emphasizes its autonomy from the government and greater security establishment, presenting statistics concerning the complaints of MOI malfeasance that[…]

Bahrain: US State Department Documents Decline in Terrorism Last Year, Continued Rights Concerns

On 19 July 2017, the United States (US) Department of State’s Bureau of Counterterrorism and Countering Violent Extremism (CT) released its Country Reports on Terrorism for 2016. Although the country report on Bahrain fails to assess the full impact of the kingdom’s increasing abuse of counterterror measures to target nonviolent activism and dissent, Americans for Democracy &[…]