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United Arab Emirates

January 31, 2024

Expert Q&A

Expert Q&A – COP28 and the Catastrophic Human Rights Situation in the UAE

Joint Letter to President Biden: Comply with U.S. Law, End Support for Aid Restrictions in Gaza

MENA

Oct 2023

Press Release + more
Statement

The Project on Middle East Democracy and the Freedom Initiative Announce Merger

Israel & Palestine

Oct 2023

Press Release + more
Statement

Statement – POMED Calls for Immediate End to Siege on Gaza, Respect for International Law

The Middle East Democracy Center (MEDC), formed by a 2024 merger of the Project on Middle East Democracy (POMED) and the Freedom Initiative, is a U.S.-based nonprofit and nonpartisan advocacy organization that works with the people of the Middle East and North Africa to challenge authoritarian systems, free the unjustly detained, and advocate for U.S. policies that protect human rights and advance a bold vision for democracy.

MEDC in the News

“It is long past time for the United States to use its leverage and uphold U.S. law to end Israel’s indiscriminate bombardment of Gaza and have this war come to an end,” said Seth Binder, director of advocacy at the Middle East Democracy Center, a coalition member. “The humanitarian catastrophe that millions of Palestinians are suffering through and its seismic moral and strategic consequences should compel members of Congress to do everything in its power to secure a cessation of hostilities.”

Common Dreams

, 03/05/2024

Seth Binder

“The Egyptian authorities should ensure the safety of his family in Egypt, and end their smear campaigns and the relentless, years-long crackdown on human rights groups and independent organizations.”

The New Arab

, 02/25/2024

Seth Binder

“In a nutshell, [religious freedom in Saudi Arabia] is disastrous…the Saudi state is subjugating its people to the rulers no matter what…just in this conversation, I’m violating Saudi laws…The Saudi government has used laws, doctrines, everything in its power, to go after people for speaking up about anything. This is true for the shia minority, for the majority, anyone who has a different idea,” Abdullah Alaoudh told Professor Gabriel Said Reynolds on the Exploring the Quran and the Bible podcast.

Exploring the Quran and the Bible

, 02/23/2024

Abdullah Alaoudh

“It’s unclear … where and how this specific provision may become law, if it ever is able to, but it is concerning nonetheless just given recent developments.”

Al Jazeera

, 02/07/2024

Seth Binder

“But a coalition of 17 arms control and human rights groups, led by the Center for Civilians in Conflict and the Middle East Democracy Center, sent a letter to lawmakers last week arguing the bill cedes congressional oversight authority by hindering lawmakers’ ability to place holds on sales over human rights concerns.”

Defense News

, 02/06/2024

“This provision is in line with Republican efforts in both the House and Senate for years. Not only did President [Donald] Trump suspend funding to UNRWA when he was in office, more recently Sen. [Jim] Risch [R-Idaho] and Rep. [Mike] McCaul [R-Texas] have put holds on that funding.”

HuffPost

, 02/05/2024

Seth Binder

“Nearly four months in, the Biden administration should be doing so much more than simply discussing concerns, which they’ve raised publicly for months. It should be conditioning assistance and support on dramatic improvements and accountability for continued violations.”

Reuters

, 01/25/2024

Seth Binder

“The Biden administration has been urging the Israeli government to allow for humanitarian pauses, but this sale and other similar military assistance being rushed to Israel completely undermines that effort. . . . The administration may be asking for pauses but its actions say it is supporting the bombing campaign.”

Wall Street Journal

, 11/06/2023

Seth Binder

“The U.S. supporting proxy forces in Lebanon is part of a decades-long, overly militarized policy towards the Middle East that has ignored the root causes of the region’s turmoil and struggles and not brought the peace or stability Americans have been promised.”

The Intercept

, 10/24/2023

Seth Binder

“We know we live in the real world and that governments must deal with Saudi Arabia, said Abdullah Alaoudh, Saudi director at the US-based Freedom Initiative. ‘But ignoring human rights, ignoring basic democratic values, when dealing with dictatorships and autocratic regimes doesn’t serve a country’s own strategic interests or bring about human rights,’ he argued.”

Deutsche Welle

, 10/01/2023

Abdullah Alaoudh

Egypt

March 26, 2024

Sisi’s Hollowed State: Ten Years of Autocracy in Egypt

Saudi Arabia

October 2, 2023

#JusticeForJamal: Five Years Since the Murder of Jamal Khashoggi

Egypt

June 30, 2023

Sisi's Egypt: Ten Years Since the Coup

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