Sheikh Nimr and the Eastern Provinces’ struggle for citizenship equality

“From the day I was born and to this day, I’ve never felt safe or secure in this country,” declared Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr in a 2011 speech. A prominent political activist from the Eastern Province, Sheikh Nimr spoke on behalf of Saudi Arabia’s disenfranchised population. The Eastern Province is primarily home to the Kingdom’s minority[…]

Sheikh Nimr and freedom of expression: speaking truth to power

Last week, the international community commemorated World Press Freedom Day on 3 May by celebrating the fundamental principles of press freedom. This day is meant to affirm the need for independent media and to raise awareness for journalists targeted simply for doing their job: exercising the right to free expression. While he was not a[…]

Know Your Rights: Bahrain and Self-Determination

Self-determination? Self-determination is the ability of peoples to freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social, and cultural development.[1] In this way, the principle of self-determination affirms peoples’ dignity and worth as human beings. Because of this, the United Nations (UN) has recognized this principle as a universal fundamental human right.[2] The[…]

Dear Pen Pal: Letters from Bahrain’s Child Prisoners

Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), and the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR) have organized a traveling and interactive exhibit to raise awareness about human rights violations in Bahrain. This exhibit is focused on society’s most vulnerable members: children and adolescents. In 2011,[…]

The unjust arrest, trial, and execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr

The trial of prominent Muslim Shia cleric and political activist Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr was marred with human rights violations. Sheikh Nimr from the Awamiyah village in the Qatif region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was a vocal critic of the Saudi government and called for peaceful political reforms. He advocated for nonviolent civil disobedience[…]