Ahmed Mansoor targeted by UAE government hacking

Last month, the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was once again exposed for launching cyber-attacks against its citizens. A prominent human rights activist, Ahmed Mansoor, has been recently targeted by an invasive spyware hack that would have turned his cellphone into a monitoring device. On 10 and 11 August 2016, Mansoor, a Martin[…]

Bahrain Moves Forward with Measures to Centralize Internet Censorship

8 August 2016 – The Government of Bahrain introduced further restrictions on the right to freedom of expression on the Internet last week, centralizing website-blocking powers under Bahrain’s Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA). On 5 August 2016, the head of the TRA Board of Directors, Mohammed Ahmed Al-Amer, issued Decision 12/2016 regarding regulations on safety over[…]

Dispatch: Germany Must Not Enable the Human Rights Violations of its Gulf Allies

Bahrain and Germany’s bilateral relations, which date back to 17 May 1972, have helped enable the Bahraini government to usher in an era of unprecedented repression and human rights violations. Over the past 44 years, Germany has engaged in substantial military and security cooperation with Bahrain and the other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states despite[…]

Return of Electronic Witch Hunt in Bahrain Leads to the Arrest of Ali Abdulraheem

14 July 2016 – The Government of Bahrain is targeting public sector employees found in photos and videos of sit-ins with arrest and further punishment. We, the undersigned NGOs, condemn the return of this practice, which violates people’s right to assembly. On 12 July 2016, Ali Abdulraheem, an official at the state Labour Market Regulatory[…]

Diraz: A Community Under Siege

13 July 2016 – On 20 June, Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior revoked the nationality of Sheikh Isa Qassim, the spiritual leader of Bahrain’s Shia community, rendering him stateless. In response, hundreds of demonstrators began a peaceful sit-in around Sheikh Qassim’s home in the village of Diraz, where he also preaches. Since then, the authorities have[…]