Following its fourth Universal Periodic Review in January 2025, Iraq accepted approximately 70% of the received recommendations. However, genuine progress will depend on their effective implementation.
MENA Rights Group joins 35 NGOs in condemning Saudi Arabia's record-breaking execution rate and calling on the authorities to implement an immediate moratorium on all executions with a view to abolishing the death penalty.
On the sidelines of the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council, MENA Rights Group co-organised a side event bringing together UN Special Procedures mandate holders, human rights defenders from across the MENA, and civil society representatives to discuss the weaponisation of counter-terrorism and security measures to carry out reprisals in the region.
MENA Rights Group (MRG) and Safeguard Defenders welcome the decision of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, which ruled that the detention of Uyghur activist Yidiresi Aishan in Morocco, where he was facing extradition to China, was arbitrary under international law.
MENA Rights Group joins Egyptian and international civil society organizations in welcoming the decision to return the draft Criminal Procedure Code to parliament for revision.
New analysis reveals systematic abuse of security and counter-terrorism frameworks to intimidate activists and organisations engaging with UN human rights mechanisms.
MENA Rights Group joins Human Rights Watch and six other human rights organizations in calling for a review of Algeria’s draft law on associations to ensure its compliance with international standards on freedom of association.
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, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Yemen.
On September 17, 2025, MENA Rights Group, the Gulf Center for Human Rights and ALQST for Human Rights delivered a joint oral statement at the 60th session of the Human Rights Council, during the interactive dialogue with the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, highlighting the continued use of arbitrary detention by Saudi Arabia and the lack of implementation of all Opinions addressed to the Kingdom since 2016.
MENA Rights Group and ALQST for Human Rights submit information about the status of 49 individuals subject of Opinions issued by the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and urge the group of expert to initiate a follow up procedure with the government of Saudi Arabia.
MENA Rights Group joins 22 other human rights NGOs in an urgent appeal to save Egyptian lawyer and human rights defender Hoda Abdel-Moneim, whose health has critically deteriorated after nearly seven years in pretrial detention.
