HRC34 Oral Interventions: Item #5 on Reprisals in Bahrain

On 17 March 2017, Ahmed Maki delivered an oral intervention at the 34th session of the Human Rights Council under Item 5. In his intervention, Ahmed addressed the trend of acts of reprisals against individuals engaging with the Human Rights Council, in particular Bahrain’s escalating reprisals against people engaging with the Council, beginning in 2014[…]

UN body finds Saudi Arabia arbitrarily detained Ali al-Nimr, Dawood al-Marhoon, and Abdullah al-Zaher

On 6 February 2017, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) released Opinion No. 61/2016. In the opinion, the WGAD determined that Saudi Arabia’s ongoing treatment of Ali al-Nimr, Dawood Hussein al-Marhoon, and Abdullah Hasan al-Zaher constitutes arbitrary detention and violates a number of international legal principles. Saudi security forces arrested Ali, Dawood,[…]

GCC Cases Raised in the HRC 34 Special Procedures Joint Communications Report

Bahrain:   Complaint         Mandate(s)                                  Communication Summary and Findings________________ 04 Jul 2016 Bahrain JUA BHR 3/2016 ·   arbitrary detention ·   freedom of opinion and expression ·   freedom of peaceful assembly and of association ·   health ·   human rights     defenders ·   torture Information received concerning Mr. Nabeel Rajab who has been repeatedly arrested and has[…]

UAE to hold new hearing for academic Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith

17 January 2017 – Tomorrow, 18 January 2017, prominent Emirati economist and academic Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith is scheduled for a new hearing before the Abu Dhabi Federal Appeal Court. UAE authorities have subjected Dr. bin Ghaith to a lengthy trial over charges that violate his right to free expression and association. Americans for Democracy[…]

Bahraini Authorities refer Nabeel Rajab to Prosecution for Letter Published in Le Monde

21 December 2016 – Bahraini authorities have today interrogated imprisoned human rights defender Nabeel Rajab on allegations stemming from a letter he recently published in the French newspaper Le Monde. The undersigned NGOs condemn in the strongest possible terms any further legal action against Rajab for exercising his fundamental right to free expression and call[…]