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#FreeAlaa: Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah on hunger strike protesting his continued illegal detention

We, the undersigned civil society organizations, lawyers, journalists, and activists, urge the Egyptian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Alaa Abdel Fattah, our courageous friend, human rights activist, and blogger. Alaa has been on a hunger strike for over two weeks in protest to his continued illegal detention, prohibition of communication with his family, and […]

Yemen: Urgent measures needed to protect civilians from COVID-19

The conflict in Yemen is entering its sixth year, resulting in what is considered the worst man-made humanitarian crisis in the world. On 10 April, the first COVID-19 case was confirmed in the country. The warring parties, donor states, the United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) must take immediate and urgent steps to […]

COVID-19: Gulf governments must unblock all VoIP technologies

In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic outbreak, we, the undersigned organizations, urge the governments of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Oman to permanently lift the ban on all Voice Over IP (VoIP) platforms used for voice and video internet calls.  Gulf countries have for a long time banned voice and video internet call apps […]

Media and rights groups urge African heads of state to release jailed journalists

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, MENA Rights Group and 80 NGOs call on African leaders to release all imprisoned journalists, including in Algeria, the Comoros, Egypt and Morocco.

NGOs: States use of digital surveillance technologies to fight pandemic must respect human rights

MENA Rights Group joins over 100 NGOs in calling on governments to respect human rights when using digital surveillance technology to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Five years into the war in Yemen, human rights organisations welcome Germany’s decision of extending its arms embargo on Saudi Arabia and encourage others to follow suit

ALQST, ACAT-France, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and MENA Rights Group have welcomed Germany’s decision to extend its arms embargo on Saudi Arabia and call on other governments to follow suit, as the Yemen war marks its fifth year. Furthermore, the organisations urge the German authorities to expand it […]

Call for urgent action around detention in MENA region amid COVID-19

MENA Rights Group and the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy (TIMEP), joined by 38 organizations from around the world, have issued a statement calling on governments in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to take a number of urgent measures to protect their prison populations, and in doing so, their populations as a whole. The statement also calls on international and regional bodies, including the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the United Nations special procedures, to issue guidance around detention amid pandemic.

NGOs: National security practices must never be used to stifle freedom of speech in Saudi Arabia

On March 5, 2020, the Right Livelihood Award Foundation, ALQST and MENA Rights Group delivered a joint oral statement before the Human Rights Council (HRC) during the interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism. The NGOs expressed concern over the crackdown on […]

Dakar Rally: Sports fans must speak up against Saudi Arabia’s ‘sportswashing’

Riyadh has gone to great lengths to improve its image through sporting events, while human rights abuses continue unchecked

Saudi Arabia: Repressive Site for Dakar Rally

As Amaury Sport Race Proceeds, Women Activists Sit in Prison The Amaury Sport Organisation should use its decision to move the Dakar Rally to Saudi Arabia to denounce the persecution of women’s rights advocates in the country, Human Rights Watch, MENA Rights Group, and 11 other international human rights organizations said today. The 2020 Dakar […]

Dakar Rally community must #StandWithSaudiHeroes

The Dakar Rally (formerly known as the Paris-Dakar Rally) is an annual off-road endurance rally organized by the French company Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O). In April 2019, it was announced that the upcoming 2020 rally would be held throughout Saudi Arabia. The announcement, which outlined the race route from January 5-17, 2020, also promised a […]

NGOs urge UN Secretary-General to uphold high standards when appointing individuals for key positions in the UN human rights system

On December 31, 2019, the mandates of the Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Kate Gilmore and Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Andrew Gilmour will come to an end. Considering the importance of these roles for the work of civil society, over 50 NGOs wrote to the UN Secretary-General, asking him to take into consideration candidates with demonstrated commitment and significant experience and expertise in the field of human rights.