UN Special Procedures Publishes Joint Communication to Saudi Arabia on Women’s Rights Defenders

Throughout October 2018, United Nations (UN) Special Procedures sent three separate joint communications to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expressing concerns over a myriad of human rights violations, ranging from the targeting of human rights defenders to extrajudicial executions for protest-related offenses committed by minors to arbitrary arrests and detentions. This blog series highlights these[…]

UPDATED: Saudi prosecutor seeks the death penalty for Israa al-Ghomgham, accused of peaceful demonstration

**Updated 30 October 2018 – Reports are saying that Israa al-Ghomgham was not brought to court for her second hearing on 28 October in front of the Specialized Criminal Court (SCC). The hearing has been adjourned until 21 November 2018 and she remains held in the Dammam General Intelligence Prison.  On 21 August, the public prosecutor[…]

Increased Engagement by the United Nations on Saudi Arabia Ahead of the UPR

*This post has been updated to reflect confirmation that ex-patriot Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed in a planned assassination in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, Turkey.   Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record is an open secret within the international community. It is home to one of the world’s most repressive governments, especially in[…]

ADHRB at HRC39 dismisses Saudi claims to reform, noting continued widespread repression

On Tuesday 18 September 2018 at the 39th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Ali Adubisi of the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights delivered an intervention with Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) during the Item 4 General Debate. In his intervention, Adubisi dismissed Saudi Arabia’s claims to reform,[…]

Saudi Arabia Must Implement UPR Recommendations Protecting Freedom of Expression

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On 10 September 2018, 31 human rights organizations signed a letter sent to key foreign ministries in North America, Europe, and Latin America ahead of Saudi Arabia’s 3rd cycle Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and as the 39th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) begins calling on governments to use the opportunities afforded by the[…]