Human Rights Watch Criticizes the Suppression of Civil Activists in Arab Countries

On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch issued a statement criticizing the suppression of civil activists and human rights defenders in the Arab Gulf countries. In the statement released on Tuesday, November 1, the organization called on Arab governments to implement the reforms desired by activists instead of imprisoning them. A report by the French news agency, which published this statement from Human Rights Watch, noted that except for Bahrain and Oman, which were forced to suppress protests during the events known as the Arab Spring, the other Arab Gulf countries largely remained immune to the spread of protests. Demonstrations and political party activities are banned in many Arab Gulf countries, and many civil activists and human rights defenders have been forced to use internet facilities and social media for their activities. Human Rights Watch also prepared a list of 140 Arab activists in these countries who have been arrested, tried, or imprisoned in the past six years. Among those listed are Nabil Rajab, a Bahraini human rights activist tried for 'spreading false information and insult,' Walid Abu al-Khair, a Saudi human rights activist sentenced to 15 years in prison, and Mohammed al-Ruqn, an Emirati lawyer imprisoned for 'conspiracy to overthrow' the government. According to Sarah Leah Whitson, a director at Human Rights Watch, the Arab Gulf countries have launched a 'systematic and costly crackdown on freedom of expression to counter the potential impact of social media.' Ms. Whitson stated that imprisoned activists in the Arab Gulf countries have not had access to a fair trial. In this context, 22 human rights organizations have called for the 'immediate abolition' of the death penalty in Iran.