Search Results for: Saudi Arabia

Last month, Indonesia made headlines by passing a new criminal code known as the Rivisi Kitab Undang-undang Hukum Pidana (RKUHP). The code includes a number of controversial provisions, including outlawing acts such as defaming the president and expressing views antithetical to state ideology. However, the provision that has received the most attention is the criminalization [...]

Human Rights Watch (HRW) Thursday released its 2023 World Report on the state of human rights. The report made clear that a rising tide of authoritarianism is a major threat to global human rights and that “unchecked authoritarian power leaves behind a sea of human suffering.” Authoritarian leaders like Vladimir Putin in Russia, Xi Jing [...]

A federal California court Tuesday dismissed Ali Al-Ahmed’s lawsuit against Twitter Inc. for suspending his account. Al-Ahmed is a Saudi analyst and critic granted asylum in the US. US Judge Edward Chen for the US District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that Al-Ahmed’s amended complaint’s causes of action were time-barred and improperly [...]

Officials representing Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Tuesday condemned a visit by Israeli Minister of Security Itamar Ben Gvir to Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Although Gvir toured several courtyards and did not enter the mosque, both countries accused Israel of needlessly escalating tensions in the already volatile region. Secretary General of the [...]

Saudi Arabia and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Monday signed an agreement to build a legal and institutional framework to combat human trafficking crimes. President of the Saudi Arabia Human Rights Commission (HRC) Dr. Hala bint Mazyad bin Mohammed Al-Tuwaijri stressed that the Kingdom has strived to build a legal and institutional [...]

The US Department of State Thursday released a letter stating that Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohhammed bin Salman should have immunity in a US case regarding his role in the murder of Saudi-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The Biden Administration’s suggestion for bin Salman’s immunity was filed with the court on Thursday and [...]

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Thursday published a draft agreement on climate change from the COP27 climate summit. The agreement includes preliminary measures to keep the average global temperature from increasing beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius but notably omits a comprehensive plan to target fossil fuel emissions. The draft begins with a [...]

Group of 20 (G20) leaders Wednesday condemned and deplored Russian aggression in Ukraine in a declaration at the conclusion of the 17th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit in Bali. The G20 leaders also demanded Russia’s “complete and unconditional withdrawal from” Ukraine, emphasizing the vitality of “peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, [...]

Several FBI documents were released by the New York Times Saturday highlighting an effort by the FBI in 2020-2021 to secure and deploy Pegasus spyware. Pegasus spyware, developed by the NSO Group, is a zero-click hacking tool that can invade a target’s mobile phone and extract messages, photos, contacts, messages and video recordings. Numerous governments, both autocracies [...]

Amnesty International Thursday called Saudi Arabia’s execution of two Pakistani nationals for drug-related crimes a “callous attack on the right of life.” Amnesty International reports that Saudi Arabia has carried out 128 executions this year alone. Amnesty International Acting Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa Diana Semann critiqued Saudi Arabia’s return to [...]