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France Should Stop Selling Arms to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia

Macron Should Address Rights Abuses in Gulf Region

This week, French President Emmanuel Macron will visit the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and Qatar, with a large delegation of French ministers and major business executives. In the UAE, he will apparently be finalizing a weapons deal, when…
News

Civil Society Groups Seek Urgent UN Action on Yemen

More Than 60 Groups Urge General Assembly to Establish New Investigative Mechanism

(New York) – The United Nations General Assembly should act swiftly to establish an investigative mechanism to gather and preserve evidence of serious human rights abuses and violations of the laws of war in Yemen, a coalition of more than 60…
UN General Assembly Hall
News

Saudi Arabia: F1 Events Risk Whitewashing Abuses

Grand Prix Organizer Should Uphold Human Rights Commitments

(Beirut) – The Saudi government is using the inaugural Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and associated concerts and events between December 3 and 5, 2021, to deflect attention from its pervasive human rights abuses, Human Rights Watch said today…
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News

Justin Bieber and Others Should Speak Out at Saudi Arabia’s Grand Prix

Jason Derulo, A$AP Rocky Also Among Celebrities Slated to Perform

In three weeks, Saudi Arabia will host the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah and a slew of global superstars – including Justin Bieber, Jason Derulo, A$AP Rocky, and David Guetta – are scheduled to perform on the weekend after the first…
Justin Bieber performs during the Triller Fight Club Night at Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
News

Letter to President Biden on US Policy Toward the Middle East

November 3, 2021 President Joseph R. Biden 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500 RE: US Policy Toward the Middle East Dear President Biden, When you were elected last year, we urged your incoming administration to strive to be a…
News

UN Should Create New Yemen War-Crimes Investigation

Saudi Arabia and UAE Fight for Impunity in Yemen Conflict

Last month, the Netherlands’ ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva said the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) had “failed the people of Yemen” by rejecting the renewal of an investigation into alleged human rights abuses and war crimes…
People stand in front of a damaged building
News

Saudi Arabia Finally Frees Alleged Child Offender

Others Remain in Prison Under Abusive Justice System

Nearly ten years after Ali al-Nimr was arrested by Saudi authorities in February 2012, he was finally released from prison this week. His mother tweeted a video showing their emotional reunion. But amid the relief and celebration, al-Nimr’s ordeal…
Ali al-Nimr was one of at least three Saudi men on death row for protest-related crimes committed when they were children.
News

Saudi’s Takeover of Newcastle F.C. a Wake-Up Call on Rights

Sportswashing Cannot Conceal Fate of Those Jailed and Abused Back Home

Three years ago this month, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered by Saudi agents. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has marked this grim anniversary by using the Saudi sovereign wealth fund he chairs to buy Premier League football club…
Fans react outside the stadium after the announcement of the Newcastle Takeover in St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain on October 7, 2021. 
News

Saudi Arabia: Yemeni Workers at Risk of Mass Forced Returns

Face Possible Return to Yemen’s Humanitarian Crisis, Loss of Critical Remittances

(Beirut) – Saudi authorities have since July 2021 began to terminate or not renew contracts of Yemeni professionals, which could force them to return to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, Human Rights Watch said today. Saudi authorities should suspend…
An aid worker gives a food ration to a woman in Sanaa, Yemen, July 19, 2020
News

Unchecked Spyware Industry Enables Abuses

Governments Should Halt Trade in Surveillance Technology

(New York) – Recent reports that NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware has been used for surveillance of dozens of journalists, human rights activists, and others demonstrate the urgent need for governments to suspend the trade in surveillance technology until…
People march in Budapest, Hungary during a July 26, 2021 protest against the Hungarian government over reports that it has used Pegasus spyware.
News

Saudi Arabia: Sudanese Media Personality Jailed for Critical Tweets

4-Year Sentence Based on Vague Charges

(Beirut) – A Saudi court sentenced a Sudanese media personality and journalist to four years in prison on June 8, 2021, for “insulting the state’s institutions and symbols” and “negatively speaking about the kingdom’s policies” among other vague…
Ahmad Ali Abdelkader, 31
News

Saudi Arabia: Collective Punishment for Ex-Official’s Children

Arbitrary Travel Bans, Incommunicado Detention, Secret Appeal Hearing

(Beirut) – Saudi authorities should immediately release the imprisoned children of a former Saudi official following an unfair trial that took place in an apparent effort to coerce him to return to Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch said today. Omar Al-…
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News

Saudi Arabia: New Details of Alleged Torture Leaked

Prison Guards Describe Harrowing Scenes Concerning Political Detainees

(Beirut) – New accounts have emerged of alleged torture of high-profile political detainees in Saudi prisons, Human Rights Watch said today. Saudi authorities failed to independently and credibly investigate allegations that Saudi authorities tortured…
© 2016 Human Rights Watch
News

Saudi Arabia: Google Should Halt Plans to Establish Cloud Region

Joint Statement by Human Rights and Digital Privacy Rights Organizations

The undersigned human rights and digital rights organizations urge Google to immediately halt its plan to establish a new Google Cloud region in Saudi Arabia until the company can publicly demonstrate how it will mitigate adverse human rights impacts…
201911MENA_SaudiArabia_Repression_main
News

Saudi Arabia: Google Should Halt “Cloud Region”

Risks Violating Rights to Privacy, Freedom of Expression

(Beirut) – Google should immediately halt its decision to establish a new Cloud region in Saudi Arabia until it can clearly outline steps to mitigate adverse human rights abuses, 39 human rights and digital privacy rights organizations and individuals…
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News

Saudi Arabia: Repression Rages on Despite Releases

Harsh Sentencing, Travel Bans, Torture Allegations Persist

(Beirut) – Saudi authorities’ repression of dissidents, human rights activists, and independent critics remains at full force despite the releases of some prominent activists in early 2021, Human Rights Watch said today. The sentencing of three men in…
Top, left to right: Salman Al-Awda, Dr. Walid Fitaihi and his daughter, Sarah Jabri, and Omar Jabri. Bottom, left to right: Loujain al-Hathloul, Mohammed al-Otaibi, Abdelrahman al-Sadhan, and Nassima al-Sadah.
News

Middle East/North Africa: End Violent Punishment of Children

Human Rights Watch Introduces Country Index Based on Laws, Policies

(Beirut) – Governments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) should outlaw the violent discipline of children, Human Rights Watch said today, introducing an index categorizing countries in the region based on their laws and policies. The MENA…
2020 Dadu Shin for Human Rights Watch
News

Saudi Arabia: Reveal Status of Saudi-Australian

Al-Hasani at Risk of Unfair Trial After Wrongful Deportation From Morocco

(Beirut) – Saudi officials should immediately make public the whereabouts and condition of a Saudi-Australian man forcibly returned to Saudi Arabia in March 2021, Human Rights Watch said today. No information has emerged about the situation of Osama al…
201911MENA_SaudiArabia_Repression_main
News

Saudi Arabia: Alleged Child Offender on Death Row

Allegations of Torture, Convicted Based on Tainted Confessions

(Beirut) – A Saudi man on death row could be executed even though he was 14 at the time of the alleged crime and his conviction followed a grossly unfair trial, Human Rights Watch said today. His case will be transferred next to the Supreme Court in…
Abdullah al-Huwaiti