Appointment of First Saudi Female Ambassador to the US is a Further Attempt to Distract from Rights Abuses

On 23 February 2019, Saudi Arabia appointed its first ever female ambassador, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud. She will serve as the ambassador to the United States (US). She is a member of the royal family, and has been widely known for her advocacy work around women’s rights in the kingdom. She succeeds Prince[…]

Saudi Arabia’s Counterterrorism Rehabilitation Centers Also Hold Human Rights Defenders

After a wave of deadly domestic terrorist attacks beginning in 2003, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia launched a wide-ranging counterterrorism campaign. The government has claimed that this campaign takes steps to address security efforts as well as ideological sources of terrorism. A critical component to this approach is the rehabilitation of offenders in prison through[…]

Continued Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia and UAE Undermine Congressional Authority

In May 2019, the Trump Administration approved a new shipment of arms to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) valued at $8 billion, as part of an ‘emergency’ sale meant to bolster regional allies and counter regional aggression. By tagging the sales as for an ‘emergency’ the administration is able to avoid Congressional[…]

Kuwait’s Bidoon Targeted by Security Officials

In recent months, the Kuwaiti government has amped up its targeting and harassment of its bidoon population – a stateless Arab minority. Kuwait is home to over 100,000 bidoon who face hurdles accessing government documentation, employment opportunities, healthcare, and education. In 1986, the Kuwaiti government branded the bidoon population as “illegal residents,” despite most being[…]

UAE Lawyer Mohamed al-Roken Faces Seventh Year Arbitrarily Imprisoned

Mohamed al-Roken is a prominent lawyer in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He was detained on 17 July 2012 while on his way to a police station and held incommunicadofor months. Al-Roken’s trial began in March 2013, where he was tried with 93 other defendants, and ultimately convicted and sentenced to 10 year’s imprisonment on[…]