Bahrain Must Lift Nabeel Rajab’s Travel Ban, say NGOs

21 January 2016 – Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain joined a group of 27 NGOs to call upon Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to lift the travel ban that his government imposed upon human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. Find the text of the letter below. His Majesty Sheikh Hamad bin Isa[…]

UAE Court Formally Charges Salim al-Aradi

On Monday, 18 January 2016, after almost a year and a half of detention, an Emirati court has formally charged Salim al-Aradi with two counts of “providing financial support for, and cooperating with, terrorist groups.” When police first arrested al-Aradi, a dual Canadian-Libyan citizen, they did not provide any reason for his arrest. Al-Aradi claims[…]

South Asian Children Reportedly Trafficked for UAE Camel Races

Reportedly trafficking foreign and impoverished children for the purpose of camel racing is a common practice in the United Arab Emirates, where at least 50% of the children trafficked are from West Bengal in India. According to a new report, young boys are preferred to be camel jockeys because they are considered light and speedy[…]

Two New Censorship Laws from Kuwait’s Parliament

This week, Kuwait’s parliament passed two new laws increasing the government’s power to censor internet media and restrict free expression. On Monday, lawmakers decided that a jail term of up to ten years would become the official punishment for a range of online expression. Then on Tuesday, the parliament passed an additional bill regulating all[…]

NGOs Condemn Detention of Saudi Human Rights Defender Samar Badawi

12 January 2016 – Washington, DC – Earlier today, Saudi authorities arrested prominent human rights defender Samar Badawi. She will appear before the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution (BIP) tomorrow, 13 January 2016. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB), the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD), and the European Center[…]