Freedom Forward works closely with allied organizations and communities to help end U.S. alliances with nondemocratic governments.

March 2, 2023: Say no to UAE dictatorship’s top oil official as head of COP 28 climate conference (letter)

Freedom Forward has joined with Food & Water Watch, Center for Biological Diversity, Oil Change International, Friends of the Earth, and many other organizations to urge U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry to oppose the appointment of Sultan Al Jaber as President-designate of the upcoming COP 28 global climate conference. Sultan Al Jaber is the CEO of the United Arab Emirates oil dictatorship’s Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Having Al Jaber, a major fossil fuel champion, in charge of climate negotiations would be a major blow to achieving COP 28’s goal of achieving significant progress on global climate action.

August 8, 2022: Freedom Forward and 20 Organizations urge Biden Administration to Stop Military Aid to Egypt’s Dictatorship (letter)

Freedom Forward joined with the Project on Middle East Democracy and 19 organizations to urge the Biden Administration “to suspend all arms transfers to Egypt in order to comply with longstanding U.S. law” and to block $300 million in specific military funding that carries key human rights conditions.

June 1, 2022: Freedom Forward and National Coalition Demands End to U.S. Military Support of Saudi Arabia’s War on Yemen (letter)

Freedom Forward has joined over 100 national organizations in releasing a letter urging Congress to end U.S. involvement in Saudi Arabia’s war and blockade on Yemen and to support the Yemen truce. The organizations are urging Members of Congress to cosponsor and pass the Yemen War Powers Resolution immediately.

May 25, 2022: : “Real Housewives of Dubai” and UAE Misogyny, Homophobia, and Violence Against Women (letter)

Freedom Forward and a coalition of human rights, women’s rights, and peace organizations called on Andy Cohen, Bravo TV, and the executives behind “Real Housewives of Dubai” to publicly oppose the violence against women and homophobic laws perpetrated by the rulers of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.).

Feb 11, 2022: Congress Urged to Cut Ties with Dictator Lobbyist and Former Member of Congress Ed Royce (letter)

Freedom Forward joined with DAWN and 11 other organizations to urge Congress to cut ties to lobbyist and former member of Congress Ed Royce, who now represents the dictatorships that rule Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Jan 31, 2022: UAE Airline Urged to Clarify Role in Putting Bahraini Dissident at Risk of Torture in Bahrain (letter)

Freedom Forward, MENA Rights Group, and other human rights organizations have called on UAE-based RoyalJet airline to clarify its involvement in the wrongful extradition of dissident Ahmed Jaafar Mohamed Ali to Bahrain, where he faces the risk of torture by the Bahraini dictatorship.

Dec 1, 2021: Freedom Forward Joins 15 Other Organizations in Condemning Formula 1 Races in Saudi Arabia and the UAE (letter)

Freedom Forward joined 15 other NGOs in expressing concern regarding Formula 1’s Grand Prix that took place in Saudi Arabia on December 5, 2021 and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 12, 2021. F1 companies have publicly committed to respect human rights in conducting operations. Therefore, human rights should be the main focus this December in Jeddah and Abu Dhabi. Read our concerns and recommendations to Formula 1.

April 6, 2021: President Biden: End the Saudi Blockade on Yemen (letter)

Freedom Forward joined over 70 human rights advocates, celebrities, and organizations to call on President Biden to urge Saudi Arabia’s dictatorship to end its blockade of the people of Yemen.

Feb 11, 2021: European Parliament: Urge EU Member States to halt arms sales to Saudi Arabia and U.A.E. (letter)

Freedom Forward joined with 21 organizations and actor / producer Mark Ruffalo to urge the European Parliament to call on European governments to stop selling weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Jan 21, 2021: Business Leaders | Business Leaders Urged to Boycott 2021 Future Investment Initiative aka Davos for Dictators

Freedom Forward and 10 organizations are calling on Mastercard, Credit Suisse, Oliver Wyman, Deloitte, KPMG, Samsung, Virgin, Ernst & Young, Bloomberg, Economist, Financial Times, Ford, Siemens, Uber, Colony Capital, Dow, DP World, EDF, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, FAI, Lockheed Martin, Mahindra Group, Moelis & Co., Morgan Stanley, Palladium Group, Reliance, Roland Berger, Sia Partners, SkyBridge, Snam, Carlyle Group, World Ocean Council, and Bridgewater to boycott the upcoming 2021 Future Investment Initiative.

October 23, 2020: Business Leaders | Business Leaders Urged to Boycott Saudi Arabia’s G20 and Business 20 summit, and its 2021 Future Investment Initiatives meeting

Freedom Forward and 18 organizations are calling on Accenture, Boston Consulting Group, Cisco Systems, Citi, Credit Suisse, Deloitte US, Ernst & Young, HSBC, KPMG, Mastercard, Mayer Brown, McKinsey, Oliver Wyman, PWC, Samsung, Total, the US Chamber of Commerce, Virgin Hyperloop, and the World Economic Forum to boycott the upcoming Saudi Business 20 and Future Investment Initiative meetings.

September 18, 2020: Mayors of Major Cities | Mayors Urged to Boycott Saudi Arabia’s G20 and Urban 20 summit

  • Freedom Forward and 15 organizations are calling on the mayors of New York, Los Angeles, Houston, London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, and Montreal to boycott Saudi Arabia’s G20 summit and “Urban 20” summits until the Saudi monarchy ends its human rights violations, war in Yemen, and environmental destruction.

August 17, 2020: World Trade Organization | WTO Urged to Reject Saudi Arabia’s Nominee for Director General (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward and 18 organizations are urging the member nations of the World Trade Organization to reject Saudi Arabia’s nominee for WTO Director General, Mr. Mohammad Maziad al-Tuwaijri. As Saudi Arabia’s former Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr. al-Tuwaijri has long been complicit in the Saudi government’s human rights violations and has chosen to remain silent on his government’s brutal record of repression.

July 14, 2020: U.S. Congress | Letter to Democratic Congressional leaders regarding the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) (text and pdf)

  • 70 organizations, including Freedom Forward, have signed this letter urging the leaders of the House Democratic Caucus to help ensure that the next HFAC Chair is someone who reflects aligned principles, priorities, and aspirations.

July 10, 2020: U.S. Congress | Letter to Congress leaders regarding FY2021 NDAA (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward joined numerous other organizations in calling on Congressional leaders to support an amendment to the FY2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would pause all transfers of U.S. air-to-ground munitions to the Saudi/UAE-led coalition fighting the war in Yemen.

July 7, 2020: U.S. Congress | Letter to Members of Congress regarding H.R.6581 (text and pdf)

  • Over 100 organizations, including Freedom Forward, are advocating for Congress to co-sponsor the Robust International Response to Pandemic Act (H.R.6581), which will ensure that developing countries will be supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other international financial institutions with the resources they need to confront the Coronavirus crisis.

June 30, 2020: U.S. Congress | Letter from Members of Congress regarding Israel (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward endorsed a letter authored by 12 members of the U.S. House of Representatives and one U.S. Senator, which condemned the planned annexation of occupied Palestinian territory by the government of Israel.

June 18, 2020: U.S. Congress | Oppose New U.S. Arm Sales to Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward and a coalition of organizations released a letter urging the U.S. Congress to block all armed sales to Saudi Arabia and the U.A.E. and to fundamentally downgrade the U.S. relationship with both monarchies.

June 2, 2020: Saudi Arabia| Letter to management consultant companies (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward and a coalition of human rights organization ALQST and ten other NGOs call for McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, and Oliver Wyman to condemn Saudi Arabia’s planned megacity, NEOM, on account of the vast human rights violations involved in the project. All three companies are contracted for strategic advice on the NEOM project.

May 15, 2020: Saudi Arabia & U.A.E. | Letter to the United Nations (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward joined a group of seven other organizations in urging the United Nations to re-list the coalition led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for attacks on schools and hospitals – in addition to continuing to list other perpetrators in the conflict, including the Houthis / Ansar Allah – in the annexes of its forthcoming annual report on children and armed conflict.

May 15, 2020: Saudi Arabia | Joint statement on Saudi women’s rights advocates (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward joined a coalition of sixteen other organizations in denouncing the Saudi government’s detention of Saudi women’s rights activists. May 15, 2020 marks the two-year anniversary of this detention.

May 11, 2020: USA | Letter to Trump and Biden (text and pdf)

  • Freedom Forward joined a coalition of 51 organizations calling on President Trump and former Vice President Biden to adopt a new, humane foreign policy.

April 18, 2020: Saudi Arabia | Letter to Women 20 (W20) delegates (text)

  • A coalition of human rights and peace organizations is urging the W20 “Women 20” and W20 delegates to end their silence on Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations. The W20 “Women 20” is one of multiple engagement groups that consult to the G20. The G20 is hosted by Saudi Arabia this year.

April 11, 2020: Yemen | Join statement on the ceasefire in Yemen (text and pdf).

  • 59 NGOs from across the world released a statement cautiously welcoming the recent ceasefire of hostilities in Yemen, and calling on all parties to reach a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement to the current conflict.

February 11, 2020: Iran | Letter to U.S. Senators (text and pdf).

  • Along with over forty partner organizations, Freedom Forward urged Senators to vote “Yes” on the war powers resolution by Sen. Tim Kaine, which would prohibit any use of U.S. Armed Forces against Iran unless expressly authorized by a declaration of war or specific authorization for military action against Iran.

December 12, 2019: Yemen | Letter to U.S. Congress leaders (text and pdf).

  • Along with several partner organizations, Freedom Forward urged leaders in Congress to retain Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger’s amendment (which called for an end to US support in the Yemen War) in the final version of the FY 2020 Defense Appropriations bill.

December 10, 2019: NDAA | Joint statement on the release of the FY 2020 NDAA conference report (text and pdf).

  • Freedom Forward joined Win Without War, as well as dozens of other organizations, in releasing a statement criticizing the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) conference report for its lack of oversight measures and its bloated $738 billion budget.

December 3, 2019: Yemen | Letter to Representative Adam Smith (text and pdf).

  • Freedom Forward joined with various organizations and individuals (including actor and activist Mark Ruffalo) to urge House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith to advocate for measures to end the United States’ involvement in the Yemeni Civil War.

October 24, 2019: NDAA | Letter to Democrats in the U.S. Congress (text and pdf).

  • Freedom Forward, along with dozens of other partner organizations, urged Congressional Democrats to remain firm in their commitments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) reforms outlined in H.R. 2500.

July 23, 2019: UAE | Letter to US Tennis Association (text and pdf).

July 23, 2019: UAE | Letter to Endeavor (text and pdf).

  • 10 organizations urged Endeavor to end the United Arab Emirates sponsorship of the July 2019 Silicon Valley Classic. The brutal UAE monarchy is a sponsor of the Silicon Valley Classic women’s tennis tournament via the UAE Mubadala investment fund. Endeavor company IMG owns and operates the event.

July 9, 2019: Yemen | Letter to U.S. Congress leaders (text and pdf).

  • Freedom Forward and 40+ organizations urged U.S. congressional leaders to stop U.S. military support for the Saudi Arabia and U.A.E.-led Yemen war by passing important amendments to the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).

June 8, 2019: Yemen | Letter to U.S. Congress leaders (text and pdf).

  • 45 groups across the foreign policy and human rights sectors called on Congressional leaders to “suspend the transfer, sale, and authorization for license” of weapons in Yemen for at least two years, and generally scale down U.S. involvement in the Yemeni Civil War.

May 21, 2019: Iran | Letter to U.S. Congress leaders (text and pdf).

  • 64 organizations, including Freedom Forward, called on Congressional leaders to immediately stop escalating tensions with Iran.

May 11, 2019: UAE | Letter to Anti-Defamation League (text).

  • Freedom Forward and allies called on the ADL to cancel their May 14th event “celebrating tolerance” with the brutal monarchy of the United Arab Emirates.
  • Media: Here and here.