ADHRB: Saudi must release al-Shubaily & ACPRA members

On 29 May 2016 the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC), Saudi Arabia’s terrorism tribunal sentenced Abdulaziz al-Shubaily to eight years in prison. Charges against the human rights activist include “inciting disorder by calling for demonstrations,” “participating in the founding of an unlicensed organization” and committing the crime of “communicating with foreign bodies and providing them with reports that[…]

Bahrain: where a tweet can earn you five years in prison

In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 32 states as part of its campaign against Houthi rebels in Yemen. Members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) united under this campaign, including the island kingdom of Bahrain. On 26 March 2015, the same day Bahraini officials announced they would be taking part in the[…]

NGOs condemn death penalties upheld based on coerced confessions, amid alarming rise of court sentences against political prisoners

We, the undersigned NGOs, strongly condemn the Bahraini government’s use of the death penalty, lengthy imprisonment sentences, and revocation of citizenship, amid ongoing credible allegations of torture, ill-treatment and deprivation of due process. On 31 May 2016, an appeals court in Bahrain upheld the death sentences of three individuals – Sami Mushaima, Abbas Al-Samea, and[…]

ADHRB Cautiously Welcomes Release of Zainab al-Khawaja

31 May 2016 – Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) cautiously welcomes the Bahraini authorities’ release of human rights defender Zainab al-Khawaja from prison. However, as the details around her release remain unclear, we call on the Bahraini authorities to drop all charges against Zainab as she remains under the threat of[…]

Bahrain Court of Appeal Increases the Sentence of Al-Wefaq’s Sheikh Ali Salman to Nine Years in Prison

On 30 May 2016, the Bahraini Court of Appeal toughened the sentence against Sheikh Ali Salman. The Secretary-General of Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society now faces nine years in prison, up from the previous sentence of four years. The court convicted him of “attempting to overthrow the regime.” The court previously acquitted him of this charge. We,[…]