Keywords: International, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Bahrain, Kuwait, Yemen, English, human rights, report, indicator, politics, community media, legal resource, resource for all, print
Bahrain, Kuwait, and Yemen share common characteristics in terms of freedom of association. The respective government policies are largely restrictive rather than liberal, and are nationalistic rather than universal. These policies reflect a severely controlling environment starting by prohibiting the formation of an association without governmental approval to openly interfering in their internal management and maintaining conditions that may lead to dissolution at will. Therefore, the ability of associations to be formed and function freely is seriously impaired. Despite the fact the three countries have become members of the international human rights community, none of them has initiated the process of law adaptation and reforms to bring the national laws, including those related to freedom of association, to be in conformity with international standards.
FIDH Freedom of Association in the Arabian Gulf [EN].pdf
FIDH Freedom of Association in 3 Middle Eastern Countries [EN].pdf