The GCC Qatar Crisis and the Arrest of Tourist Ali Issa Ahmad

On 22 January 2019, 26-year-old British tourist Ali Issa Ahmad was reportedly arrested and beaten by United Arab Emirates (UAE) security officials for sporting a Qatar soccer shirt during the Asian Cup match between Iraq and Qatar in the UAE. Ahmad was unaware of UAE’s policy that anything that could be seen as showing sympathy[…]

The Rise of Corruption in Bahrain

Before the peaceful Arab Spring protests in 2011, corruption within Bahrain was both reasonably low and manageable. On the corruption index, the country was ranked 46 out of 180 countries for handling corruption and held a moderate corruption score of 51 out of 100, with a score of ‘0’ being highly corrupt. However, after the[…]

The Constant Violation of Human Rights in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a dark police state that regularly abuses human rights and represses its citizens. The UAE targets political opponents and activists, and criminalizes fundamental freedoms and basic human rights. The country also has a history of systematic torture, enforced disappearance, and arbitrary arrest, and women and migrant domestic workers continue[…]

Oman: Where Criticizing the Government Can Warrant a Seven Year Sentence

Throughout Oman, freedom of speech is nonexistent as the government routinely detains activists, academics, and other critical figures for publicizing any dissent of the government. Free expression is heavily constrained and even criminalized under the law – in 2018, Oman updated its Penal Code, ultimately further increasing restrictions and allowing for more severe punishments for[…]

Congress Renews Efforts to Remove US Armed Forces from Yemen and End Bloody Conflict

On Wednesday, 30 January 2019, the United States (US) House of Representatives, led by Representative Ro Khanna (D-Calif), re-introduced a War Powers Resolution (H.J.Res. 37), regarding US involvement in the conflict in Yemen. Representative Khanna stated how he had been working in conjunction with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), the Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs[…]