Bahrain Advances Constitutional Amendment Freeing Military Courts to Try Civilians

21 February 2017 – The lower house of Bahrain’s parliament has approved a constitutional amendment removing restrictions the ability of military courts to try civilians. The amendment, which is reported to have been initially proposed by the office of the king, was passed in a 31-1 vote by the forty-member Council of Representatives. With the approval[…]

Bahrain courts postpone trial of HRD Nabeel Rajab, deny bail

21 February 2017 – This morning, the Government of Bahrain again postponed the two trials of human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. Bahrain courts have brought two cases against Rajab for exercising his internationally-sanctioned rights to free expression. He has been subjected to imprisonment and ill-treatment since June 2016. We, the undersigned NGOs, strongly urge the[…]

Bahrain: Human Rights Crisis Deepened Since Protests Began Six Years Ago Today

14 February 2017 – On the anniversary of the 14 February 2011 protest movement, we, the undersigned, are deeply concerned that Bahrain’s human rights situation has now reached unprecedented lows. Bahrain’s precipitously worsening rights record is damaging not just for Bahrain, but for the stability of the entire region. The 34th Session of the UN[…]

Prisoner Profile: Naji Fateel

Naji Fateel is a human rights defender on the Board of Directors of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights. For ten years, Bahraini authorities have detained, harassed, forcibly disappeared, and tortured him repeatedly for his peaceful and lawful human rights activism. In 2007, Bahraini authorities arrested Fateel for participating in a “violent gathering.” They[…]

U.S. should maintain human rights provisions in the sale of fighter jets to Bahrain

On 30 January 2017, Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said that he expects President Trump’s administration to approve the stalled sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Government of Bahrain. This sale was blocked by the Obama administration due to concerns over Bahrain’s record on human rights. The sale[…]