The Hydrocarbon Paradox: How Fossil Fuel Dominance Became the Gulf’s Greatest Vulnerability

The security architecture of the Middle East has entered a period of profound instability following a coordinated US-Israeli military campaign against Iranian targets. The initial strikes, intended to degrade Tehran’s strategic capabilities, have instead triggered a wider theater of war across the Persian Gulf. For the Gulf states, the strategic partnership of hosting US bases[…]

Migrant workers disproportionately impacted by the strikes in the Gulf

According to the International Labour Organization there are 24 million migrant workers residing in the Gulf Cooperation Council states. The Gulf region is the world’s hub for overseas workers. Migrant workers make up a significant percentage of the total 62 million people living in GCC countries, yet they suffer systemic discrimination. Migrant workers in the[…]

Saud al-Faraj Asked for Democracy and Saudi Arabia Killed Him for It

As the world’s attention remains fixed on the latest developments in the war in Iran, Saudi Arabia has quietly proceeded with the execution of a prominent businessman, Saud al-Faraj, for his involvement in the 2011 anti-government demonstrations in Qatif, where protesters had called for greater democracy and reform. Al-Faraj was arrested in 2019 following a[…]

Selective Neutrality in the Gulf: How Strategic Partnerships Endanger Civilians Amid Regional Escalation

For decades, Gulf governments have promoted the narrative that their states are islands of stability in an otherwise turbulent region. Through economic diversification and careful geopolitical balancing, countries such as Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain have positioned themselves as pragmatic actors committed to stability and economic prosperity. Amid the current[…]

An Overview of ADHRB’s Participation in the 61st Session of the Human Rights Council

Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) participated in the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, held from 23 February to 31 March 2026. During this session, ADHRB delivered 12 oral interventions exposing human rights violations across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), particularly in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Under Item[…]