Verdict in Appeal for Bahraini Human Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab set for 5 June

21 May 2018 – On Sunday, 20 May 2018, Bahrain’s High Court of Appeal adjourned until 5 June to issue its ruling on whether to uphold the five-year prison sentence against human rights defender Nabeel Rajab on charges that patently violate his right to free expression. Rajab is currently serving a total of seven years[…]

Bahrain Upholds 10-Year Sentence for Photojournalist Sayed Ahmed al-Mousawi in Further Attack on Press Freedom

On 27 March 2018, a Bahraini appellate court confirmed the 10-year prison sentence and arbitrary denaturalization of photojournalist Sayed Ahmed al-Mousawi. In 2017, Bahrain’s highest court reversed the original ruling, leading to the new appeal. Though al-Mousawi has the opportunity to petition the Court of Cassation again, he remains arbitrarily detained. Bahraini authorities first arrested[…]

Prosecution calls for “Maximum Penalty” Against Bahraini Opposition Leader Sheikh Ali Salman

Bahrain’s Public Prosecution presented its argument in the new case against arbitrarily imprisoned opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman today, 8 March 2018, calling for the “maximum penalty” to be imposed on the politician and his two in absentia codefendants, Sheikh Hassan Ali Juma Sultan and Ali Mehdi Ali Al Aswad. The three men – all[…]

UPDATED: Bahrain Sentences Nabeel Rajab to Additional 5-Year Prison Term in Blatant Violation of Free Expression

**Update: On 22 February 2018, the United States Department of State issued multiple calls on the Government of Bahrain to release imprisoned human rights defender Nabeel Rajab. The US Mission to the United Nations first published a statement to Twitter: “The United States is disappointed by Bahrain’s decision to sentence human rights activist NABEELRAJAB, and we reiterate[…]

UAE Rights Record Scrutinized During UN UPR Review

22 January 2018 – Today, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council conducted the third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) cycle of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dozens of states issued recommendations to the Emirati Government, urging human rights reforms on a variety of thematic issue areas ranging from free expression and capital punishment to migrant[…]