New Flexi Permit Could Provide Alternative to Kefala System in Bahrain

Bahrain’s Labor Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) has introduced a new regulation program that aims to give expatriates illegally residing and working in the country a way to obtain legal documentation to stay. This new regulation program, called the Flexi Permit, will be a significant deviation from the current kefala system since it will give workers[…]

Dispatch: Criminalizing “Sympathy” – Free Expression Abuses Find New Catalyst in the GCC Crisis

Any end to the weeks-long Qatar-Gulf crisis was last month made contingent, in part, on the shuttering of Al Jazeera and its affiliate stations, as well as the closure of all news outlets that are—directly or indirectly, partially or wholly—funded by Qatar. Justified by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt as[…]

US Must Maintain Restrictions, Push for Reforms Following Bahrain Interior Minister Visit

14 July 2017 – Bahrain’s Minister of Interior, Lt. General Sheikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, visited Washington, DC this week to discuss security cooperation with a number of American officials, including the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense. While we encourage bilateral talks between American policymakers and the Government of Bahrain, and we acknowledge[…]

Nabeel Rajab sentenced to 2 years in absentia as unfair trial concludes

10 July 2017 –The Third Circuit Lower Criminal Court today sentenced Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, to two years in prison on charges solely based on his exercise of freedom of expression. The prosecution and trial, which were initiated by the Ministry of Interior’s Cyber Crime Directorate, are based on[…]

Profiles in Persecution: Najah Ahmed Yusuf

The Government of Bahrain has targeted numerous internationally renowned human rights defenders in reprisal for their work. Many, including Nabeel Rajab and Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, are known around the world, with their cases documented by human rights organizations, governments, and the United Nations. However, the Bahraini government’s attack on peaceful dissent and opposition has cast a[…]