Special Procedures Publish Joint Communication Sent to Saudi Arabia on Women’s and Human Rights Defenders

From June through August 2018, United Nations (UN) Special Procedures sent five separate joint communications to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, expressing concerns over a myriad of human rights violations ranging from the targeting of women’s and human rights defenders, reprisals, the conflict in Yemen, arbitrary detention and more. This blog series highlights these joint[…]

The Road to Equal Rights in Saudi Arabia

The recently-promulgated decree allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia has been well-received as evidence that the kingdom is modernizing. It was applauded internationally as a win for Saudi women, but women’s rights were not at the forefront of motivations behind the decree. Rather, Saudi Arabia was economically driven, with an international image it still[…]

ADHRB and GCHR Side Event at HRC 39 Discusses the Upcoming UPR of Saudi Arabia

On Tuesday 11 September, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) hosted a side event at the 39th session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC), in cooperation with the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR). Salma al-Hosseiny from the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) moderated the event, which featured[…]

ADHRB at HRC39 raises concerns about women’s rights and restrictions on expression and assembly in Saudi

On Tuesday 11 September 2018, during the 39th session of the United Nations, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) delivered an oral intervention during the Item 2 General Debate on the oral update by the new High Commission for Human Rights, Michele Bachelet. In the remarks, ADHRB raised concern about the widespread[…]

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[…]