News

Emirates Humanitarian City: a refugee prison complex?

MENA Rights Group expresses deep concern over reported human rights violations against Afghan refugees who have been stuck in the "Emirates Humanitarian City" since August 2021.

Joint statement: 13 years after Mubarak’s ouster, unprecedented repression and economic instability in Egypt

Marking 13 years since the ousting of Egyptian autocrat Mubarak, MENA Rights Group joins 18 civil society organisations in calling on Egyptian authorities to release thousands of unjustly detained persons, end the use of enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killing and torture, halt attacks against independent media and civil society, and to uphold basic human rights and freedoms.

Lebanon: Seeking justice for migrants

On the "Global Day of CommemorAction", MENA Rights Group joins local civil society organisations in urging Lebanese authorities to investigate the April 2022 sinking of a migrant boat, to respect the principle of non-refoulement for asylum seekers and to provide safe and legal alternatives to irregular migration.

UAE’s second-largest political mass trial is underway

While December 2023 saw the global spotlight on Dubai for the COP28, Abu Dhabi discreetly conducted the second-largest political mass trial in the UAE’s history, known as the “UAE87” in a complete absence of media coverage.

Urgent appeal for justice: condemning the unjust prosecution of dozens of Emiratis in the UAE

MENA Rights Group joins the Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center and 40+ civil society organisations in urging the UAE to drop the 'terrorism' charges against 80+ Emiratis, including human rights defenders.

Elections of the Human Rights Council President for the 18th cycle in 2024

The UN Human Rights Council prepares to elect its 2024 President from Africa—Morocco & South Africa in the running. In a joint letter, MENA Rights group joins a coalition of NGOs in urging all members of the Council to elect the Council President based on Council membership criteria.

Algeria: Reactions following the visit of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders

MENA Rights Group joins 10 civil society organisations in supporting the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders marking the end of her visit to Algeria.

Bahrain and Egypt’s National Human Rights Institutions raise concerns at the UN

MENA Rights Group welcomes the Sub-Committee on Accreditation's decision to defer the review of Bahrain and Egypt's National Human Rights Institutions, which cited their lack of compliance with the Paris Principles.

Lebanon: Proposed media law poses grave threat to freedom of expression

As part of the Coalition to Defend Freedom of Expression in Lebanon, MENA Rights Group calls on Lebanese authorities to ensure the new draft media law does not include provisions that restrict the right to freedom of expression, and that it meets international human rights standards.

Saudi Human Rights Commission a mere whitewashing tool, say NGOs

MENA Rights Group, ALQST for Human Rights and the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights publish an in-depth report detailing the Saudi Human Rights Commission's role in whitewashing the Kingdom's egregious human rights abuses.

UN Special Rapporteur’s visit to Algeria: a renewed opportunity for reform and release of imprisoned activists

Ahead of the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders' visit to Algeria, MENA Rights Group joined a coalition of civil society organisations in calling on Algerian authorities to release all human rights defenders and activists currently detained, and to end their crackdown on fundamental rights and freedoms.

Civil society urges BIE Member States not to vote for Saudi Arabia to host the World Expo 2030

A coalition of civil society organisations led by MENA Rights Group urges the Bureau International des Expositions’ Member States not to vote for Saudi Arabia to host the World Expo in 2030 given the Kingdom’s documented and internationally recognised appalling human rights record.