A Review of the Rapporteur on Countering Terrorism’s Visit to Saudi Arabia

From 30 April to 4 May 2017, Ben Emmerson, the former United Nations Special Rapporteur on promoting and protecting human rights while countering terrorism, undertook an official country visit to Saudi Arabia. Upon the conclusion of his visit, he criticized Saudi Arabia’s counter-terror framework as overly restrictive and vague – a mechanism that allows authorities[…]

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[…]

HRC37 Intervention on Saudi Arabia’s Use of Counterterror laws against HRDs

On Friday 2 March, during the 37th session of the Human Rights Council, IDO in cooperation with ADHRB delivered an oral intervention during the Item 3 Clustered Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteurs on countering terrorism while promoting human rights, and culture. In the intervention, IDO and ADHRB addressed the Rapporteur on countering terrorism concerning[…]

Ali al-Nimr Spends Another Birthday on Death Row

Thursday, 21 December 2017 – Yesterday, Ali al-Nimr turned 23-years-old while on death row in Saudi Arabia. It was his sixth birthday in prison after being arrested in February 2012 for participating in a peaceful pro-democracy rally in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) calls on the Government[…]

ACPRA co-founder Abdulaziz al-Shubaily’s sentence upheld by Court of Appeal

On 31 July 2017, the Saudi human rights defender and lawyer Abdulaziz al-Shubaily was informed that the Court of Appeal in Riyadh had upheld his eight-year prison sentence. He is now at risk of being imprisoned at any time for speaking out against injustices and in defense of victims of human rights violations in Saudi[…]