Ben Keith to discuss Transnational Repression in Bahrain & UAE at the United Nations
On 13th September 2024, Ben Keith will be speaking at a side event during the 57th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The event titled ‘Addressing Transnational Repression: Human Rights Abuses and Espionage by the UAE and Bahrain’ is jointly organised IHR Advisors and the Gulf Centre for Human Rights. It will be held at 14pm at the UN Human Rights Council, Geneva.
Transnational repression refers to actions taken by governments to control and silence dissent beyond their national borders. This often involves surveillance, harassment, intimidation, abduction, and sometimes even assassination of expatriates, refugees, and dissidents living abroad. Such practices violate numerous international human rights laws and undermine the global order by extending the reach of oppressive regimes into other sovereign territories.
Aim of the Debate:
The primary aim of this debate is to bring into focus the human rights abuses and espionage activities conducted by the UAE and Bahrain against individuals living abroad. The debate seeks to:
Highlight specific cases and patterns of transnational repression by the UAE and Bahrain.
Discuss the legal and human rights implications of these actions.
Explore mechanisms to protect individuals from such abuses.
Foster international cooperation to hold perpetrators accountable and safeguard the rights of expatriates and dissidents.
Speakers include:
Gina Romero, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of peaceful assembly and of association.
Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, A Bahraini human rights activist and the Director of Advocacy at the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy. He has been a vocal critic of the Bahraini government's human rights record and has faced significant personal risks due to his activism.
Khalid Ibrahim, The Executive Director of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights. He has extensive experience in the field of human rights and has been actively involved in documenting and advocating against human rights violations in the Gulf region. He will be the moderator.
Joey Shea, Human Rights Watch, a researcher in the Middle East and North Africa Division investigating human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Ben Keith, A leading barrister specialising in International Criminal law and International Human Rights law at 5 St Andrew’s Hill Chambers. He is an expert on INTERPOL and the Red Notice system and subsequent extradition and asylum proceedings. He is Editor of Red Notice Monitor. Ben advises clients based all around the world and represents governments, political and military leaders, High Net Worth individuals, human rights defenders and business leaders in the most sensitive cases. He is a member of the List of Counsel for the International Criminal Court and Kosovo Specialist Tribunal in the Hague.
Photo: UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre 