Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi described the Kurdistan region’s planned referendum on independence as “unconstitutional” on Tuesday, hours after parliament voted against the regional plebiscite.

Diplomats from Qatar and the four states boycotting it exchanged heated words at an Arab League meeting on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia has urged its people to report subversive comments spotted on social media via a phone app, a move denounced by a human rights watchdog as “Orwellian”.

Saudi Arabia is planning a worldwide communications campaign to counter its negative press coverage and is in the market for PR firms eager to handle the effort, according to the Financial Times.

Saudi Arabia’s school religious studies curriculum contains hateful and incendiary language toward religions and Islamic traditions that do not adhere to its interpretation of Sunni Islam, Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a decree on Tuesday reorganizing the National Security Agency and appointing Lieutenant General Adel bin Khalifa Al Fadhel as its new president, effective immediately, the state news agency said.

Index on Censorship denounced on its website the postponement of prominent Bahraini human rights defender Nabeel Rajab’s trial until September 27, 2017.

The Kingdom of Bahrain seeks to strengthen its air force with the purchase of 19 F-16V aircraft and upgrade of 20 more F-16s in its fleet, reported United Press International (UPI).

Donald Trump’s nominee to be Ambassador to Kingdom of Bahrain Justin Siberell expressed Washington's concern with Bahraini government’s actions against nonviolent political and human rights actors.

Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi confirmed the news stating that he was suspended from writing for Al-Hayat newspaper, based on a decision by Al-Hayat publisher Khalid bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the recommendation of Fahd bin Khalid Al Saud.

The Curricula Department at the Bahraini Ministry of Education has included a lesson in the sixth grade "Citizenship" school book that talks about the popular protests in Bahrain in 2011 that demanded political reforms to put an end to the ruling Al Khalifa family's monopoly over power.

The Public Prosecution interrogated the two opposition leaders Radhi Al-Mosawi and Ibrahim Sharif as well as journalist Ahmed Radhi and charged them all with “assembly”, aiming at justifying the travel ban against them.

Al-Khabbaz family said that Jaw prison administration has been preventing them from meeting their sons: Maher, Mohammad, Mortada and Fadhel Al-Kahbbaz since about 8 months.

The Bahraini security authorities prevented on Tuesday (September 12, 2017) deputy president of the dissolved Bahrain Teachers Association Jalila Al-Salman from leaving the country.

Bahrain News Agency said that King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued a decree on Tuesday re-organizing the National Security Agency (NSA) and appointing a president, noting that the decision shall be immediately implemented.

Several prominent Saudi clerics have been detained in an apparent crackdown on potential opponents of the conservative kingdom’s absolute rulers amid widespread speculation that King Salman intends to abdicate in favor of his son.

The Second High Criminal Court upheld punishing 3 convicts over two separate cases. The suspects announced on social media outlets taking pilgrims to Haj despite not having a permit to do so. The court fined each of the suspects 200 BD.

A Saudi court ratified on Monday (September 11, 2017) a death sentence issued against youth Abdulkareem Al-Hawaj, from Al-Qala’a village situated in the Qatif region of the Eastern Province.

The United States representative to the Human Rights Council in Geneva expressed his country’s concern about the deteriorating human rights conditions in Bahrain, calling on Manama to respect human rights and freedom of assembly and expression.

The Bahraini security authorities arrested 5 citizens from Karzakan, Sanabis and Samaheej, within 24 hours.