Bahrain Arrests Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab, NGOs demand immediate release

13 June 2016 – Bahrain security forces arrested leading human rights defender Nabeel Rajab, President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR),  Founding Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and Deputy Secretary General of FIDH, early this morning. The arrest comes on the first day of the United Nations Human Rights[…]

UN Special Procedures: Bahrain Continues to Suppress Freedom of Expression

The Special Procedures of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) released the 14th iteration of their joint communications report on Friday, May 27, 2016. In the latest communications, the Special Procedures cited three cases of violations, singling out Bahrain as among the worst offenders of human rights. The Special Rapporteurs on Expression, Human Rights[…]

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[…]

In or Out of Prison, Bahraini HRDs Face Hard Times

The situation of human rights defenders and activists in Bahrain is precarious. Today, one of the most prominent of these activists, Zainab al-Khawaja, sits in a prison cell along with her infant son. She is sick with the flu and her family has been denied access to care for her or her child. Zainab al-Khawaja[…]

Bahrain Should Revoke Nabeel Rajab’s Travel Ban

Nabeel Rajab is one of Bahrain’s leading human rights defenders. He is the President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), a founding director of the Gulf Center for Human Rights, and Deputy Secretary General of the International Federation for Human Rights. Nabeel is also a member of the Advisory Committee of Human Rights[…]