NGOs have voiced renewed concern about the UAE’s treatment political opposition and other activists, including the enforced disappearance of political exiles like Abdulrahman bin Subaih. Bin Subaih fled to Indonesia after Emirati security forces began to arrest the signatories of a petition calling for an independent judiciary and elections in the UAE. He was seeking[…]
27
Jan
Jan
Washington, DC – On Monday, 25 January 2016, Bahrain’s public prosecutor announced that a court had sentenced 57 men to additional 15-year jail terms for their alleged involvement in the Jau Prison riots last March. The prosecutor accused the men of having “unleashed acts of chaos, riots and rebellion inside (prison) buildings,” and officially charged[…]
26
Jan
Jan
Earlier this month, Kuwait’s parliament passed two new laws increasing the government’s power to censor online media and restrict free expression. On 11 January 2016, lawmakers prescribed a jail term of up to ten years for any online “criticism of the government, religious figureheads or foreign leaders.” The next day, the parliament passed an additional law regulating[…]
25
Jan
Jan
On Sunday, Bahraini authorities questioned Sheikh Ali Salman over “violations” posted on his Twitter account, despite the fact that he remains imprisoned and unable to tweet. Sheikh Salman, the secretary-general of Bahraini opposition bloc al-Wefaq, is already serving a four-year prison term for inciting hatred, disturbing public peace, and inciting civil disobedience. Following the interrogation, Bahrain’s prosecutor stated he[…]
22
Jan
Jan
On Thursday, 21 January 2016, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the priorities of the European Union (EU) at the 2016 United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Sessions. The EU resolution strongly condemned the continued harassment and detention of human rights defenders and opposition figures by government forces. 2015 experienced pervasive human rights violations[…]
