New ADHRB White Paper – Sectarian Discrimination and Extremism in Bahrain’s Security Forces: Questions for US Policy

New evidence suggests that Bahrain’s military has directly propagated sectarian hate speech – yet the Trump administration has dropped reform conditions and authorized new multibillion-dollar arms deals for the kingdom. ADHRB’s white paper, Sectarian Discrimination and Extremism in Bahrain’s Security Forces: Questions for US Policy, analyzes the abusive recruitment and training practices that pervade the Bahraini security sector amidst increasingly unrestricted American defense support.

Health of Bahrain’s Top Shiite Cleric Worsens

In a statement, the organization said Ayatollah Qassim, who is in his 70s and has other health problems, including high blood pressure and diabetes, was “in continuous pain and excreting blood.” The statement said the cleric’s family had implored the police surrounding his home to allow a visit on Sunday by doctors, who had recommended an emergency operation.

Government launches bizarre attempt to link opposition with Qatar

New charges levied against Sheikh Ali Salman Bahraini authorities have sought new charges against Sheikh Ali Salman, Secretary General of Al Wefaq, accusing him of working as a spy for the state of Qatar. He is now due to stand trial on 26th November, with two other individuals indicted, Hassan Sultan and Ali Alaswad, a former MP now residing in London.

Bahrain Sets Final Hearing in Nabeel Rajab’s Appeal for 22 November

Today, 8 November 2017, a Bahraini court pushed the final hearing for leading human rights defender Nabeel Rajab’s appeal trial to 22 November, refusing to hear the defense’s arguments and rejecting his petition for bail. Rajab, president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR), has been arbitrarily detained since 13 June 2016 on charges related solely to free expression.

ADHRB Newsletter 228

Workshop: Sectarianism in the Middle East – Think Tank

Sectarian conflict and polarisation has become a key feature of Middle East politics in the aftermath of the Arab uprisings of 2011. This workshop looked at some of the key drivers of this, such as the troubled legacy of foreign intervention, state failure, regional rivalries between Saudi Arabia, Iran and others, ruling strategies of authoritarian regimes as well as the spread of identity and sect-based political movements.

House of Saud on fire; Alkhalifa revoke nationality of more natives VOB.ORG

The House of Al Saud is on fire. Scores of its members are tasting the humiliation that their predecessors had inflicted on the rest of the population. The new dictator has been supported by the President Trump and Israelis to seek revenge on those Saudi senior and rich figures who lost favour in Washington and Tel Aviv.

Sign Petition to Free Human Rights Defender Nabeel Rajab

Nabeel Rajab is president of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights and one of the world’s most celebrated human rights defenders. For decades he has worked to document and remedy human rights violations in his home country of Bahrain and in the wider Middle East, raising awareness for critical problems from the abuse of migrant workers to restrictions on free speech.

Bleak GCC economic prospects, War on Bahrainis escalated by regime VOB.ORG

As the Saudi-led blockade on Qatar intensifies, bleak economic prospects have been predicted for the region. The International Monetary Fund warned in its Regional Economic Outlook released yesterday that if the crisis drags on, it will negatively impact mid-term growth prospects for the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Bahraini Rights Critic Imprisoned for Yemen Tweets

This week Saudi Arabia and its allies in Geneva are blustering and threatening other countries to try to defeat a UN Human Rights Council resolution that would set up an independent investigation into war crimes by all parties – including the Saudi-led military coalition – in Yemen.

UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Cites Bahrain as “Egregious” Perpetrator of Reprisals

22 September 2017 – On 20 September 2017, United Nations (UN) Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour presented the office’s eighth report on reprisals at the 36 th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC), raising serious concern over the increased attacks on human rights defenders in Bahrain.

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