Osama Muhana al-Tamimi, a former member of the Bahrain Council of Representatives who is known for his criticism of the government, has been a target for ongoing harassment and intimidation since 2012. His treatment unfortunately comes as no surprise, as it reflects the current state of repression experienced by Bahraini citizens and is indicative of the Bahraini government’s need to silence any independent thinking or dissent.

Read the full statement here.

New and Notable

Profiles in Persecution: Ali Husain AlAali

From 24 June to 12 July 2019, Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) participated in the 41st Session of the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC). During the session, ADHRB highlighted various human rights violations committed by the Governments of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Oman, and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. ADHRB delivered 21 interventions, hosted two successful side events on Bahrain, and Oman and the UAE, and supported successful side events on Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Many of the concerns ADHRB raised before the Council were echoed by UN officials, NGO representatives, and State delegations. In addition to engaging with the Council, ADHRB engaged with the Human Rights Committee concerning the obligations of the Netherlands under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) to not return a Bahraini citizen Ali Mohamed AlShowaikh to Bahrain due to fears regarding his torture. ADHRB also held a solidarity stand outside the Council to call attention to the plight of activists in Bahrain, urging the release of political opposition figures and human rights defenders.

Read the full statement here.