Death Penalty

US celebrates Nobel for Iran’s Narges Mohammadi, but We have Executions, Torture and Prisoner Abuse Too

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the Peace Prize this year to Iranian feminist and human rights worker Narges Mohammadi, 51. It was the second time that an Iranian woman had won, the first having been attorney Shirin Ebadi in 2003. Mohammadi, although trained as a physicist, worked as a journalist […]

Authoritarianism

Saudi Crown Prince Confirms Death Sentence for Tweets, Blames “Bad Laws”

Human Rights Watch

Joey Shea Researcher, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates @joey_shea Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, has confirmed that retired teacher Muhammed al Ghamdi was indeed sentenced to death for his social media posts. In an interview with Fox News on September 20, MBS admitted about the death sentence: “Shamefully, it’s true,” […]

Death Penalty

Saudi Arabia executes more than 100 People this Year

Middle East Monitor

( Middle East Monitor) – The Saudi authorities have executed more than 100 people this year, hitting a new milestone that Amnesty International considers reveals its “chilling disregard for the right to life.” On Thursday, Saudi Arabia executed a displaced religious resident on charges of killing a Saudi in the capital, Riyadh, the official Saudi […]

Afghanistan

Afghanistan under Taliban: Repression, Humanitarian Crisis, Abuses against Women Threaten Millions

Human Rights Watch

(Human Rights Watch ) – (New York) – Taliban authorities have tightened their extreme restrictions on the rights of women and girls and on the media since taking took control of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021, Human Rights Watch said today. Over the past two years, Taliban authorities have denied women and girls their rights […]

censorship

The State of Human Rights in Saudi Arabia: Yemen, Freedom of Speech, Women, Executions

Human Rights Watch

Submission to the Universal Periodic Review of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 45th Session of the UN Universal Periodic Review Introduction ( Human Rights Watch ) – Although at its last UPR Saudi Arabia supported many recommendations, it continues to commit widespread violations of basic human rights within and beyond its borders. The Saudi government […]

censorship

Is Saudi Arabia using “Sportswashing” to Simply Hide its Human Rights Abuses — Or is there a Bigger Strategy at Play?

The Conversation

By Ben Rich, Curtin University and Leena Adel, Curtin University | – As Saudi Arabia continues to open up internationally, it is yet again in hot water over its human rights record. The current controversy revolves around the kingdom’s increasing presence in the sporting world and accusations of “sportswashing”. In recent years, the Saudis have […]

Bahrain

Saudi Arabia Executes Two Shia Bahrainis on Terrorism Charges in “Grossly Unfair” Trial

Human Rights Watch

By Leila Saad | – ( Human Rights Watch ) – Two Bahraini Shi’a men have been executed in Saudi Arabia following what Amnesty International described as a “grossly unfair trial” on terrorism-related charges. Jaafar Sultan and Sadeq Thamer were arrested in May 2015 and held incommunicado for more than three months, according to Amnesty International. […]

Death Penalty

“Don’t Let them Kill Us:” How the Ayatollahs’ Iran became the Execution Capital of the World

Fariba Amini

Newark, Delaware (Special to Informed Comment) – Under the previous Iranian Penal Code or IPC, which was in force until 2013, the charge of mohareb, “Waging War (on Islam,” was frequently used against political dissidents and people with connections to opposition groups abroad, even if they were non-violent. The new Penal Code has provided for their punishment […]

censorship

Iran Charges 16, Including Several Teens, For Protests Amid Reports Of Forced Confessions

Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty

By Ardeshir Tayebi | – ( RFE/RL ) – Iran has charged 16 people, including several teenagers, in the northwestern Iranian city of Urmia for planning demonstrations and accusing them of espionage amid reports those detained gave confessions after being beaten. In November, 25 people were arrested for allegedly having connections with “spy organizations” and […]