United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Human rights activists welcome diplomats with protest boards as Saudi Arabia marks its statehood day with a reception in a hotel on September 22, 2022 in The Hague, Netherlands. One protester holds a sign saying, "Warning: You are entering a human rights danger zone." In August, a Saudi tribunal sentenced Salma al-Shehab, a Saudi citizen in the final year of her PhD studies at Leeds University's School of Medicine, to 34 years in prison over tweets that called for reform in the kingdom. The mother of two was arrested while on holiday in Saudi Arabia in 2021. (Photo by Pierre Crom/Getty Images)

America’s Autocratic Persian Gulf ‘Partners’ Are Actually Liabilities

Support for leaders who remain in power only via repression and cooptation is a recipe for instability, not strategic success.

Nov. 15, 2022 Jon Hoffman and Abdullah Alaoudh

Tunisian protesters carry signs on July 22, 2022, during a demonstration along Habib Bourguiba avenue in the capital Tunis, against their president and the upcoming July 25 constitutional referendum.

Tunisians, Fed Up With `Non-Delivering Democracy,’ Set to Vote on Retrograde Constitution: Civil Society’s Role

A civic leader says the coming referendum reflects the frustration of citizens who want a democratic system but need economic prosperity too.

Jul. 23, 2022 Viola Gienger

Bill Browder, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and two others speak while sitting at a press conference in London on November 20, 2018. People sit facing them with recording equipment.

Abuse of Interpol for Transnational Repression: Assessing the FY22 NDAA’s Provisions for Prevention

The act needs work, but could set a new standard in limiting Interpol abuse for assassinations, abductions, financial blacklisting and more.

Nov. 10, 2021 Ted R. Bromund and Jonathan Reich

Sudanese anti-coup protesters carry the portrait of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok, ousted by the military, during a gathering in the capital Khartoum's twin city of Omdurman on October 30, 2021, to express their support for the country's democratic transition which a military takeover and deadly crackdown derailed.

Sudanese Send Clear `No’ to Military Coup. What Will Security Forces Do Next?

After mass nonviolent protests, look out for arrests of opponents, prison releases of Islamists, and actions by a key paramilitary unit.

Nov. 1, 2021 Rebecca Hamilton

Supporters of the Yemeni Huthi rebels take to the streets of the capital Sanaa to protest against the blockade imposed on their country by the Saudi coalition, on February 26, 2021. An overpass and the street leading into it are packed with protestors. Side streets are lined with cars and buses blocking the way.

Biden Says He Wants to End the Yemen War: These Should Be His Next Steps

A fair and just UN-led peace process requires the Saudis to end the blockade and the Security Council to replace an outdated resolution on the war.

Mar. 25, 2021 Hassan El-Tayyab

Workers extinguish flames at a warehouse, after it was reportedly hit in an airstrike by the Saudi-led coalition, in the Yemeni capital Sanaa on July, 2, 2020.

Fulfilling Biden Campaign Pledge on Saudi-UAE Policy Will Require a Full Overhaul

Regular and direct US criticism of Saudi and UAE human rights abuses should be a fundamental part of a Biden administration reassessment.

Feb. 18, 2021 Michael Page

US President Joe Biden speaks about foreign policy at the State Department in Washington, DC, on February 4, 2021. An American flag and a US President flag stand behind him.

Leaving the War in Yemen: The Mostly Good, the Bad, and the Muddled

An assessment of President Joe Biden's new approach to Yemen, including the remaining uncertainties about the new policy.

Feb. 17, 2021 John Hursh

Women wait with children in a ward at a malnourishment treatment centre in Yemen's northern Hajjah province on November 22, 2020. The beds the children lie in are covered in netting, and the walkways between beds are very small since the beds are crowded together.

Biden Must Stick to His Pledge to End US Support for the Yemen War

The war in Yemen is a global mark of shame, and the resulting humanitarian disaster threatens the lives of 24 million people.

Dec. 14, 2020 Priyanka Motaparthy and Osamah Alfakih

An F-35A fighter aircraft of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force taking part in a military review at the Ground Self-Defence Force's Asaka training ground in Asaka, Saitama prefecture. October 14, 2018

Proposed UAE Arms Sale Raises National Security Concerns

The Trump administration's planned sale of F-35s to the UAE threatens a regional arms race and raises concerns about end uses of the sensitive defense technology. Congress has…

Dec. 1, 2020 Alexandra Stark

Three people walk and talk along a tree and grass-lined path at the Yuzhnoukrainska Nuclear Power Plant on June 19, 2018. One of the power plant’s cylindrical towers is covered in a sculptural art piece. The 3rd unit of Yuzhnoukrainsa Nuclear Power Plant is the first one in Ukraine loaded with a full core of nuclear fuel delivered by the Westinghouse Electric Company (USA).

Trump’s Impact on Nuclear Proliferation

On the need to review Trump associates' secret bargaining in nuclear energy sector. Not just a question of accountability. But of continuing vulnerabilities in national security.

Nov. 18, 2020 Tamsin Shaw

Protesters calling for a civilian government held large protests in Khartoum to commemorate those who were killed June 30, 2019 in Khartoum, Sudan.

Will COVID-19 Create a Human Rights Crisis in the Middle East and North Africa?

Emergency powers imposed to stop the spread of COVID-19 jeopardize free speech and other fundamental rights-- and they may linger long after the threat to public health recedes.

Oct. 1, 2020 Alexis Thiry

Trump holds up a chart of military hardware sales as he meets with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the Oval Office at the White House on March 20, 2018 in Washington, D.C. The chart is titled, “12.5 billion in finalized sales to Saudi Arabia.” MBS is smiling.

Yes, Congress, There Is Something You Can Do About Reckless Arms Sales

Recently proposed sales are particularly problematic given reports of unlawful retransfers and irresponsible, if not illegal, end use by both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.…

Jun. 9, 2020 Diana Ohlbaum and Rachel Stohl