Context and Background The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE)—have long been criticized for employing repressive domestic measures that violate international human rights standards. In the years since the 2011 Arab uprisings, these governments have intensified their crackdown on dissent through the enactment of repressive[…]
17
Jun
Jun
Since the end of last year and in the first months of 2025, a large number of prisoners have been released in Saudi Arabia. Among them are prisoners of conscience, including high-profile human rights activists. This is certainly a step forward since many of these people have been arrested in a completely arbitrary manner and[…]
11
Jun
Jun
This briefing paper examines the widespread and institutionalized exploitation of women migrant domestic workers across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Oman. Despite public commitments to reform, the kafala (sponsorship) system remains the primary mechanism governing migrant labor. Under this system, a worker’s immigration status is[…]
05
Jun
Jun
The number of executions for drug crimes in Saudi Arabia is reaching staggering numbers. Since the beginning of 2025, at least 111 individuals have been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, and 68 of these were executed for drug-related crimes. As well as causing concern, these recent developments demonstrate how Saudi Arabia continues to renege[…]
04
Jun
Jun
This month, President Trump announced a deal with Saudi Arabia that would provide the country with advanced artificial intelligence (AI) chips. The deal sees industry leader Nvidia provide Humain, a sovereign wealth fund-owned AI startup, with 18,000 of its new GB300 Blackwell chips. The massive deal makes Saudi Arabia a potential leader in AI data[…]
