ADHRB Strongly Condemns Bahrain’s New Legal Campaign to Attack Activists on Social Media

4 June 2019 – In the last few weeks, the Bahraini government has taken increased measures to criminalize dissent via social media, specifically targeting the accounts of activists and their followers with a new legal campaign and increased threats. Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) strongly condemns this intense suppression of free[…]

GCC Countries Enforce Legislation Criminalizing Online Expression

2 February 2018 –Kuwait recently sentenced online activist Abdullah al-Saleh to ten years in prison for Tweets “abusing Saudi Arabia” and insulting the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain. His sentence demonstrates how countries like Kuwait employ prison sentences as deterrents to free expression online, especially as the government imposes increasing restrictions on the freedom[…]

Bahrain Confirms Two-Year Sentence for Nabeel Rajab, Moves toward Conclusion of Separate Twitter Trial

16 January 2018 – Yesterday, the Bahraini Court of Cassation rejected human rights defender Nabeel Rajab’s appeal and confirmed his two-year prison sentence for discussing restrictions on free expression and the press in several television interviews. Yesterday also saw the latest hearing in a separate case against Rajab in which he faces prosecution over tweets[…]

UN Rapporteur on Countering Terrorism Visits Saudi Arabia

On 30 April 2017, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights while countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson, arrived in Saudi Arabia for a five-day visit—he left today, 4 May. During his visit, he sought “to provide assistance in the implementation of the country’s 2014 Penal Law for Terrorism and its[…]

Saudi Detains and Sentences 3 HRDs in the Span of 1 Week

Since the beginning of the New Year, Saudi Arabia has sentenced or detained several human rights defenders. Within the span of one week, Saudi authorities questioned and detained human rights defenders Ahmed al-Mushaikhass, of the Adala Center for Human Rights, and Essam Koshak. On 10 January, a court sentenced Abdulaziz al-Shubaily, of the Saudi Civil[…]