A Summary of the UN Committee Against Torture’s Review of Saudi Arabia

“Prisons may deprive liberty, but they should never deprive human rights.” – Mr. Abdelwahab Hani, Committee Against Torture (Review of Saudi Arabia, 57th Session of the Committee Against Torture) Upon completion of Saudi Arabia’s review before the UN Committee Against Torture on Monday 25 April, ADHRB expresses concern over the ongoing and systematic practices of[…]

GCC states claim “witchcraft” and “sorcery” is all around

The Royal Oman Police arrested two African nationals this week and charged them with crimes of practicing “sorcery.” Officers raided the house of the accused after they offered to heal an Omani citizen. Omani officials referred the two defendants to the Public Prosecution. The arrest of foreign nationals for sorcery in Oman is not an[…]

A mockery of justice: the unjust trial of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr

Almost four months ago on 2 January 2016, the Government of Saudi Arabia carried out a mass execution of 47 individuals including prominent Muslim Shia cleric and political activist Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. Authorities executed Sheikh Nimr based a number of charges related to his political activism. Sheikh Nimr was a political and social justice activist[…]

US-Saudi relationship status: “It’s complicated”

“It’s complicated” responded President Obama after being pressed about the status of his friendship with Saudi Arabia, the repressive monarchy doing more harm than good in the Middle East. Today, Obama is set to meet with his counterpart in this complicated relationship at the GCC summit where Saudi leaders and other GCC heads of state[…]

Newsletter #152

Bahrain U.S. State Department Releases 2015 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices On Wednesday, the United States (US) Department of State released the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2015. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) welcomes these extensive reports detailing the wide range of US human rights concerns in Bahrain[…]