ADHRB Weekly Newsletter #355
View this email in your browser ([link removed])
** Bahrain
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
**
Panel Event – Deepening Political and Human Rights Crisis in Bahrain
------------------------------------------------------------
On July 3, 2020, Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain hosted an online-streamed event entitled “Deepening Political & Human Rights Crisis in Bahrain”. This event has special meaning, as it proves that human right defenders may continue to speak out and advocate for positive change in oppressive countries, such as Bahrain, even during the midst of the current global COVID-19 crisis, and further may engage despite restrictions as the 44th session of the UNHRC is commencing.
The July 3 event focused on one key question: Has the time to bridge the gap between Bahraini opposition and the Government passed? This question is asked in light of the current instability in the country, and Arab Gulf region, while further complicated by the countries ongoing political, human rights, economic, and social woes. While nine years have passed since the 2011 Arab Spring, it appears as though the government’s actions in suppressing the pro-democracy movements in the country as still widespread – and perhaps more so, given today’s current global insecurity.
Read the full article here. ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
**
------------------------------------------------------------
** Situation of Human Rights Defenders in Bahrain: Joint Virtual Event with Gulf Center for Human Rights
------------------------------------------------------------
On July 1, 2020, an online side event with the title No prosperous future or sustainable peace in Bahrain without the protection of Human Rights Defenders was held during the 44th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHCR). The event highlighted the ongoing and systemic abuses of human rights defenders (HRDs) and political prisoners in Bahrain.
The four speakers were as follows:
* Husain Abdullah, Executive Director of ADHRB
* Preethi Nallu, Journalist, and Advocacy Consultant at (IMS)
* Michel Forst, Former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders
* Susan Wilding, Head of Geneva Office, CIVICUS
Read the full article here. ([link removed])
** Profile in Persecution
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
** Naji Ali Fateel
------------------------------------------------------------
Human rights defender Naji Ali Fateel is a prominent rights activist, blogger, protest organiser and co-founder of the Bahrain Youth Society for Human Rights (BYSHR). Fateel has been arrested on numerous occasions for his participation in peaceful assemblies and protests. In 2013, Fateel was arbitrarily arrested in his own home, and later, he was tortured and suffered ill-treatment, including being subjected to electric shocks, threatened, beaten and deprived of food and sleep. Fateel was sentenced in an unfair trial and remains in Jau Prison to this day, as do some of the severe injuries that he sustained from his torture.
On 2 May 2013, Naji’s home in the village of Bani Jamra was raided without a warrant by 12 police officers dressed in civilian uniform and members of the Special Security Force Command (SSFC). The masked policemen intimidated Naji’s family members and confiscated his belongings, including his laptop and mobile phone. The officers also seized some personal documents, in addition to his daughter’s laptop and wife’s camera. Following this, the officers beat Naji in front of his family, handcuffed him, and forced him into an armored bus. In the bus, he was placed on the floor and officers stamped on his head.
Read the full report here. ([link removed])
** ADHRB at the UN
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
** ADHRB calls on the Council to take action to combat human trafficking in Bahrain and the UAE
------------------------------------------------------------
On 3 July 2020, ADHRB has delivered an oral intervention at the United Nation Human Rights Council session 44 under item 3 of the general debate, to take action to combat human trafficking in Bahrain and the UAE.
View the full intervention here. ([link removed])
** GCC in the Wire
------------------------------------------------------------
**
------------------------------------------------------------
**
------------------------------------------------------------
** - Saudi-led coalition starts military operation against Yemen's Houthis ([link removed]) (Reuters) ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
A Saudi-led coalition has started a military operation against Yemen’s Houthi movement after it stepped up cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, Saudi state television reported on Wednesday. In Yemen, Houthi-run Al Masirah TV reported air strikes on the capital Sanaa, Marib, al-Jouf, al-Bayda, Hajjah and Saada provinces throughout the day and into the night.
** - Turkey: Khashoggi’s fiancee appears at absent Saudis’ trial (AP) ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
The fiancee of Jamal Khashoggi told a Turkish court Friday that the Washington Post columnist was lured to his death at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul through “a great betrayal and deception,” and she asked that all persons responsible for his killing be brought to justice.
** - Saudi-led coalition launches new strikes on Yemeni capital (AP) ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen said Thursday that it unleashed a new air campaign on the war-torn country’s capital and on other provinces, in retaliation for drone attacks on Saudi Arabia that were claimed by the rebels.
** - Russian-Backed Libyan Commander Retreats From Tripoli (The ([link removed]) New York Times) ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
The forces of the military leader Khalifa Hifter on Thursday retreated from their last footholds in the suburbs of Tripoli, the Libyan capital, ending his 15-month-old campaign to capture the city.
** - ([link removed]) Qatar coronavirus cases exceed 100,000, Kuwait tops 50,000 ([link removed]) ([link removed]) (Reuters) ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Qatar exceeded 100,000 and Kuwait surpassed 50,000 on Monday, their health ministries said. Qatar, which has seen its daily case numbers fall from a peak of 2,355 in late May, added 546 new cases and five deaths in the past 24 hours to give a total of 133 deaths and 100,345 cases in total.
** - Coronavirus cases rising in Saudi Arabia, UAE after curfews lifted ([link removed]) ([link removed]) (Reuters) ([link removed])
------------------------------------------------------------
Saudi Arabia’s coronavirus infections have passed 200,000 and neighbouring United Arab Emirates 50,000, with the number of new cases climbing after the Arab world’s two largest economies fully lifted curfews last month. Restrictions had been in place in both countries since mid-March and their gradual lifting has allowed commercial businesses and public venues to reopen.
**
------------------------------------------------------------
[link removed]
============================================================
Are you a victim of a human rights abuse in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, or other GCC states?
Document your case with the Special Procedures of the United Nations through
** ADHRB's UN Complaint Program ([link removed])
.
Copyright © 2017 ADHRB, All rights reserved.
Contact us at: **
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected])
** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
| ** update subscription preferences ([link removed])
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Twitter ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Facebook ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** Website ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
** YouTube ([link removed])
This email was sent to
[email protected] (mailto:
[email protected])
why did I get this? ([link removed]) unsubscribe from this list ([link removed]) update subscription preferences ([link removed])
Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain . 1001 Connecticut Avenue NW . Suite 205 . Washington, DC 20036 . USA
Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp
[link removed]
