Why Saudi Arabia Crushed the Democratic Uprising in Bahrain

During February 2011, more than 200,000 Bahraini citizens set up camp at the Pearl Roundabout in the capital of Manama to call for substantive government reform. Inspired by the Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, Bahrainis from all walks of life withstood government raids and political arrests during their month-long occupation of the iconic[…]

NGOs Send Letter to Saudi Minister of Interior Urging Release of Imprisoned Activists

2 February 2015 – Today, 24 international NGOs, interfaith organizations and concerned individuals sent a letter to Prince Mohammed bin Naif bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia expressing concern over the ongoing detention and ill-treatment of human rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair and blogger Raif Badawi. The undersigned urged Prince Mohammed bin Naif to immediately release al-Khair[…]

ADHRB Assesses King Abdullah’s Reign and Need for Reform in Saudi Arabia

January 23, 2015 – Washington, D.C. – Today, ADHRB released a report assessing the reign of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, who died today after more than a decade of rule. Despite his adopted status as a reformer and peacemaker, King Abdullah’s reign was marked by deterioration in civil, political and human rights in the[…]

The Saudi Government’s Misuse of Anti-Terrorism Legislation

In 2008, the government of Saudi Arabia established the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) under the guise of prosecuting terrorism-related cases. In the seven years since its inception, however, the court has used anti-terrorism legislation to target human rights activists and government critics. The new Penal Law for Crimes of Terrorism and its Financing allows the[…]

Saudi Human Rights Lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair Sentenced to Fifteen Years

13 January 2014 – Today, the Specialized Criminal Court of Saudi Arabia ordered human rights lawyer Waleed Abu al-Khair to complete his fifteen year prison sentence without the possibility of parole after he refused to show remorse or recognize the legitimacy of the court. Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain and the Bahrain[…]