Bahrain: Court Delays Verdict on Death Row Torture Victims to Christmas Day

27 November 2019 – Without offering any justification, Bahrain’s High Criminal Appeals Court has delayed a judgment due today in the case of Mohamed Ramadhan and Husain Moosa. Both men had previously been sentenced to death on the basis of torture-tainted confessions. Lawyers have been notified that the verdict will now be issued on December…

For BIRD Weekly Number 254, click here.

Hakeem AlAraibi Joins Jailed Bahraini Jiu Jitsu Champion in Criticising Regime-Affiliated MMA Event

14 November 2019 – Bahraini refugee footballer Hakeem Al Araibi delivered a letter on 12 November on behalf of imprisoned Bahraini jiu jitsu and mixed martial arts (MMA) champion Mohammed Mirza, urging the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) to “reconsider” their “future partnership with Bahrain.”

For BIRD Weekly 252, click here.

French MP Jean François Mbaye Tables Question on Human Rights Violations in Bahrain – Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain

4 November 2019 – On 29 October, MP Jean François Mbaye tabled a question to the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs. He raised concern regarding the ongoing human rights violations committed by the Kingdom of Bahrain, highlighting the 2014 elections where the rights of the political opposition were restricted, …

For ADHRB Weekly 323 click here.

Parliamentary Event – The Crackdown on Human Rights in Bahrain

18 October – Yesterday, the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD) and the Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR) co-hosted an event at Parliament to highlight the deteriorating state of human rights in Bahrain. The event included a panel of experts who discussed the brutal crackdown on political opposition, human rights…

For BIRD Weekly 249, click here.

ADHRB Upcoming Event – Breaking the Silence: Bahraini Women Political Prisoners Expose Systemic Abuses

ADHRB will be holding a Congressional briefing next week on women political prisoners in Bahrain and women’s rights in the region more broadly. ADHRB’s event “Breaking the Silence: Bahraini Women Political Prisoners Expose Systemic Abuses” will take place on Tuesday, 29 October at 10 am in 421 Cannon House Office Building.

Iraq’s Sources of Emulation: Scholarly Capital and Competition in Contemporary Shiʿism

Religious knowledge is at the heart of the Shiʿi system of clerical authority known as the marjaʿiyya. Given the multiplicity of more or less well-established claimants to the position, this article explores the scholarly credentials of the contemporary marjaʿ[source of emulation; pl. marājiʿ].

The Crackdown on Human Rights and Freedoms in Bahrain

Eventbrite – Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy presents The Crackdown on Human Rights and Freedoms in Bahrain – Thursday, 17 October 2019 at Conference Room A, House of Commons (Entrance on 1 Parliament Street), London, England. Find event and ticket information.

Profiles in Persecution: Isa Jaafar AlAbd – Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain

Isa Jaafar AlAbd is a 24-year-old Bahraini and former employee of the K & K Food Company. He has been arrested multiple times, beaten by authorities, and denied medical care during detention. Isa has suffered from a heart condition since birth and has undergone numerous surgeries as a result, and …

For ADHRB Weekly Newsletter 319, click here.

UN Experts Declare Detention of “Brutalized” Activist Najah Yusuf to have been Arbitrary; Calls for Compensation from Bahrain – Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain

23 September 2019 – On 19 September, the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) published an Opinion on the case of recently-released Bahraini activist Najah Yusuf, who was arrested in April 2017 in part for posts on social media protesting the Formula One Grand Prix and criticizing the …

For ADHRB Weekly Newsletter #317 click here.
For BIRD Weekly 246 click here.

Anti-Shiism in Muharram 2019 – Shia Rights Watch

Shia Muslims spend the first ten days of the holy month of Muharram in ritual mourning commemorating the death of Hussain, son of Ali, grandson of the Prophet Mohammad. Muharram rituals are central to the Shia faith. The nature of these rituals make this population highly visible, and thus, Shia Muslims are particularly vulnerable in …