This week a United Nations fact-finding report classified the actions of the Rapid Support Forces in el Fasher of October 2025 as showing hallmarks of genocide. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) are a paramilitary group in Sudan, warring with the rule ruling Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The RSF is being supported militarily, financially and diplomatically[…]
03
Feb
Feb
The sentencing of Bahraini opposition figure Ebrahim Sharif has once again drawn attention to the tightening restrictions on political expression across the Gulf. Sharif had been arrested in November 2025 by local Bahraini authorities as he returned from the Arab National Conference in Beirut. He was charged with “spreading false news” on social media and[…]
05
Jan
Jan
On the 19th of November 2025, a political prisoner by the name Ali Abdullah Fath Ali al-Khaja died in the al-Razeen prison in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ali al-Khaja died at 58 years of age, after having spent more than a decade arbitrarily detained. During his time in prison, he endured torture, denial of[…]
26
Dec
Dec
The Gulf region is notoriously known for its constantly hot, sunny weather and luxurious, modern infrastructure, providing travellers with ideal conditions for year-round beach holidays and outdoor activities. Yet few recognise that delivering such services relies heavily on human labour, with many workers compelled to perform physically demanding tasks in extreme heat for much of[…]
25
Nov
Nov
In the United Arab Emirates, freedom of expression remains more a constitutional illusion than a lived reality. Art. 30 of the UAE Constitution nominally guarantees every citizen the right to express their opinions “verbally, in writing, or by any other medium”. Yet, this right is narrowed by legal caveats that allow broad state control over[…]
