Bahrain Again Postpones Appeal of Military Conviction of Civilians, Verdict Expected in February

The Bahraini government announced on 31 January 2018 that the Military High Court of Appeal has yet again postponed the case of 13 men convicted by the Military High Court on 25 December 2017. After appeal hearings on 10, 14, and 31 January, the case is now adjourned to 21 February, when the court is expected to[…]

Profiles in Persecution: Sayed Hadi Ahmed

Sayed Hadi Ahmed is a minor being arbitrarily detained in Bahrain’s Dry Dock Detention Center, meant only for adult populations. He was 15 at the time of his arrest, and has been subjected to torture on multiple occasions. At midnight on 13 December 2016, Sayed Hadi was asleep at his grandfather’s home in Bani Jamra.[…]

Al Arabiya News fined £120,000 ($170,000) for violating privacy of Bahraini torture survivor

25 January 2018 – Saudi broadcaster Al Arabiya has been fined £120,000 ($171,556) by Ofcom, a British communications regulatory body, for infringing on the privacy of imprisoned Bahraini political leader and torture survivor Hassan Mashaima. The penalty follows the regulator’s decision, in April 2017, that Al Arabiya would face sanctions for broadcasting a recorded testimony[…]

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[…]

Profiles in Persecution: Ali Habib Saleh

Ali Habib Saleh is a 25-year-old Bahraini citizen who has been arbitrarily detained, tortured, and denied healthcare by the Bahraini government. The Government of Bahrain has used the judicial system to arbitrarily harass Ali – he has been arrested not once but four times. After his first arrest, he was tried in absentia for charges[…]