News

Joint Human Rights Council side event highlights abuse of administrative counter-terrorism measures in the MENA region

On the sidelines of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council, MENA Rights Group co-organised a side event discussing the detrimental human rights impact of administrative counter-terrorism in the MENA region. The panelists highlighting the weaponisation of these measures against individuals and organisations and explored potential strategies to mitigate their adverse consequences on rights and freedoms in the region.

Crackdown on civil society and human rights in Tunisia: arrests and Intimidation in the wake of the 2024 presidential elections

MENA Rights Group joins 7 civil society organisations in expressing alarm over the arrests and harassment of prominent activists and journalists following the Tunisian presidential elections in October 2024 and calling on Tunisian authorities to drop all charges brought against the detainees and respect their fundamental human rights.

Over 200 executions in nine months: NGOs condemn escalating use of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia

On the World Day Against Death Penalty, MENA Rights group joined partner NGOs in condemning the soaring number of executions in Saudi Arabia and urging Saudi authorities to implement a moratorium on the death penalty.

UN Secretary-General’s 2024 report highlights reprisals against human rights defenders in the MENA

MENA Rights Group provides a summary of the UNSG's main concerns over reprisals against human rights defenders in the MENA region, particularly in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen.

Bahrain: Joint Letter on Human Rights Priorities to All Member States of the United Nations General Assembly

On the occasion of the UN's 79th session, MENA Rights Group joined 28 civil society organisations in urging UN Member States to advocate for the release of human rights defenders opposition leaders, death row inmates, and all those who remain unfairly imprisoned in Bahrain during the high-level General Debate.

UN experts call for release of Saudi businessman sentenced to death

Following a request for Opinion filed by MENA Rights Group and the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights (ESOHR), the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (UNWGAD) found that the detention of a Saudi businessman who participated in protests in the Qatif region of Saudi Arabia, violates international human rights law and qualifies as “arbitrary”.

Partners of Saudi Arabia should send observers to upcoming trial hearings of Salma al-Shehab and Nourah al-Qahtani

MENA Rights Group joins NGOs in calling on partners of Saudi Arabia to monitor the ongoing trial of Salma al-Shehab and Nourah al-Qahtani, who are sentenced to 27 and 35 years in prison for their social media activity.

Saudi Arabia must free detainees jailed for their online expression ahead of Internet Governance Forum

MENA Rights Group joins 30+ NGOS in calling on Saudi authorities to immediately free those arbitrarily detained ahead of the Internet Governance Forum which will take place in Riyadh from 15 to 19 December 2024.

International access will be needed to follow up on mixed Saudi response to UPR recommendations

Following Saudi Arabia's response to recommendations made during its Universal Periodic Review, a coalition of 7 human rights organisations urge Saudi authorities to grant independent international observers and NGOs access to the country, and that they extend invitations to, and accept visits from, UN special procedures mandate holders.

Egypt: Rights groups renew call to downgrade National Council for Human Rights for lack of independence

MENA Rights Group, The Committee for Justice (CFJ), and the Egyptian Front for Human Rights (EFHR) renewed their call on the Sub-Committee on Accreditation to downgrade the status of Egypt's National Human Rights Institution for its lack of compliance with the Paris Principles, namely independence.

UAE: Unfair trial, unjust sentences – human rights defenders, political dissidents unjustly convicted

With a group of five human rights organisations, MENA Rights Group condemn the unjust conviction of at least 44 defendants in the "UAE87" mass trial.

Jordan must stop the repression against human rights defenders and pro-Palestine activism

On July 5, 2024, the UN Human Rights Council met to adopt the outcome report for Jordan’s Universal Periodic Review. MENA Rights Group, Front Line Defenders and the Regional Coalition for Women Human Rights Defenders in MENA delivered a joint oral statement condemning the Jordanian government's repression of civic space in the context of the Gaza war.