ADHRB Condemns Saudi Military Operation in Awamiyah

On Wednesday 10 May, Saudi security forces launched a raid into the Eastern Province city of Awamiyah. The raid is ongoing and has resulted in security forces shooting and killing at least one individual. While Saudi security forces have run military and security operations in Awamiyah several times since 2011, activists say this raid is[…]

Saudi prince supports preserving national heritage despite past destruction of sites

On 3 April 2017, Prince Sultan bin Salman, chairman of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, urged support for the renovation of historic Jedda. He emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage sites, where “a large presence of citizens…are a remarkable indication that people long for the heritage of this country.” However, the[…]

ADHRB and UN Experts Urge Saudi to Halt Planned Demolition of Historic Awamiyah Neighborhood

5 April 2017—Today, the United Nations Special Rapporteurs on poverty, cultural rights, and housing called on the Government of Saudi Arabia to immediately halt the planned demolition of the historic Mosawara neighborhood in the Eastern Province town of Awamiyah. The Rapporteurs warned that the demolition may result in the forced evictions of many of the[…]

Item 9 HRC34 Oral Intervention: Religious Discrimination in Saudi Arabia

On 21 March 2017, Nader Almatrook delivered an oral intervention at the 34th session of the Human Rights Council under Item 9 on behalf of Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain. In his intervention, Almatrook brought the Council’s attention to religious discrimination in Saudi Arabia, particularly against the country’s Shia Muslim minority population[…]