Update: Check out the press release on the event here! Watch the video here!

The Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and 35 partners will hold the Alternative Human Rights Expo II, an online event on 15 November 2023 ahead of the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP28) to be held from 30 November to 12 December 2023 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The online event will follow the format of the first Alternative Human Rights Expo organised by 26 NGOs in October 2021 as a counter response to the Dubai Expo.

The event will highlight human rights issues related to the suppression of freedom of expression and assembly. The purpose of the event is to call for the release of human rights defenders (HRDs) detained in the UAE as well as other W/HRDs persecuted/arrested in the region – from Bahrain to Egypt to Iran to Saudi Arabia, by showcasing the work of detained W/HRDs and activists, and featuring environmental activists, as well as artists, poets, writers and singers from the MENA region with a focus on human rights.

Michel Forst, the world’s first UN Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention, will introduce the event.

See the programme here. Register here: https://bit.ly/AltHRExpo2

There are related activities such as a joint appeal to the Emirati authorities to free Emirati HRDs, and a joint appeal to states attending the COP28. Sign on as an NGO to the SANID UAE campaign petition to the UAE to release HRDs. You can also sign and share a petition created by Global Citizen with CIVICUS calling on the UAE to free Ahmed Mansoor, GCHR’s Board member, serving an unjust 10-year prison sentence in the UAE. #FreeAhmed

Alternative Human Rights Expo II Programme – 15 November 2023

Opening music: Arfoud brothers and sisters, musical group of Sahrawis

Art by Alaa Al-Siddiq, Emirati activist

Welcoming remarks: 

Co-Hosts: Weaam Youssef, Gulf Centre for Human Rights

Brian Dooley, Human Rights First

Jenan Al-Marzooqi, exiled Emirati WHRD

Introduction: Michel Forst, Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders under the Aarhus Convention (on video)

UAE:

Hamad Al-Shamsi, Emirates Detainees Advocacy Centre, to show images of detained Emirati activists

Poetry by Ahmed Mansoor, read by Khalid Ibrahim

Film clip about Ahmed Mansoor, by Manu Luksch

Egypt:

Writing by Alaa Abdel Fattah, read by Ahdaf Soueif

Palestine:

Graffiti of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh

Tribute to artist Heba Zagout  

Bahrain:

Poetry by Maryam Al-Khawaja and Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja

Images of Abdulhadi Al-Khawaja

Song by Mohamed Jawad, environmental activist

Saudi Arabia:

Lina Al-Hathloul to read Salma Al-Shehab’s tweets and talk about human rights defenders in prison

Iran:

Poetry by Fatemah Ekhtesari

Iraq: 

Presentation of the Climate Prospects Campaign by Shamel Al-Obaidy

Featuring Iraqi environmental activist Jassim Al-Asadi 

Syria: 

Art by Kurdish artist Neirouz Houri

International Solidarity:

In memoriam: Tyndek Arara, Indigenous leader of the Arara people,

Closing music:

A song by Elsa Saade, Lebanese musician, of a poem from Mahmoud Darwish