DAWN’s experts are the driving force behind the organization’s mission and vision. Our experts complement our research work and bolster our advocacy efforts.

Read all the latest articles from the DAWN team of Experts and Contributors.

"How can we progress as a nation when those offering constructive feedback and (often humorous) dissent are banished?"

- Jamal Khashoggi

Who started DAWN?

Jamal Khashoggi, together with his friends and associates, started Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) in February 2018; Jamal formally became the Executive Director in June 2018.  He intended to build a robust organization to promote democracy and human rights throughout the Middle East and North Africa, highlighting, in particular, the important role that the United States plays in the region. Before he could publicly launch the organization, Saudi Arabian officials murdered him on October 2, 2018, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. For more information, see About Us  and Founder.

What is DAWN and what is its mission?

Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on advancing democracy, human rights, and the rule of law in the Middle East and North Africa.  For more information, see About Us.

How does DAWN research human rights abuses?

An important part of DAWN's work is investigating and documenting human rights abuses in the Middle East and North Africa. DAWN researchers rely on a wide array of primary and secondary sources to conduct investigations, including information obtained from victims, family members, witnesses, lawyers, government officials, journalists, public records, and various news sources we deem to be credible and reliable.  DAWN publishes the resulting accounts of human rights abuses in English and Arabic on our website.

How do you decide which countries to focus on?

DAWN currently focuses its democracy and human rights reporting and advocacy on Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Israel-Palestine. DAWN has selected these four countries because of their close political, military, and economic relationships with the United States.  As a US-based organization, DAWN has a special responsibility to spotlight US support for abusive governments, which undermine democracy and human rights.  As additional resources become available, DAWN will seek to increase the number of covered countries until we are able to report on all countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Who funds DAWN?

DAWN is an independent, non-governmental organization that seeks contributions from private individuals and foundations worldwide. Many of DAWN's donors remain anonymous in light of security risks associated with the work of DAWN, and the recent murder of our founder, Jamal Khashoggi. If you'd like to contribute to DAWN, see support us. If you wish to donate anonymously, you may do so.

Does DAWN advocate for regime change?

No. DAWN advocates for governments in the Middle East to undertake reforms in order to respect human rights, abide by the rule of law, and allow people to elect their leaders in free and fair elections. In many countries, that will require constitutional and statutory changes, including transforming the way the government is selected and constituted. Every government in the Middle East can and should undertake these reforms.

Is DAWN affiliated with particular political parties or movements, in the Middle East or elsewhere?

No. DAWN is proud to serve as a platform for discussion among a diversity of democracy activists, political exiles, scholars and journalists from the Middle East and beyond. Some of DAWN's fellows, staff members and contributors belong to or even lead political movements or parties, and DAWN advocates for creating a safe space in which they can engage in robust and peaceful political activity. The diversity of opinions and affiliations with DAWN, as well as our commitment to rigorous, impartial research and international law, help us maintain high standards of integrity in our publications while promoting robust discussion and exchange of ideas. DAWN does not advocate for any particular political movement or party, but rather for governments to be democratically elected, to respect human rights and to abide by the rule of law.

How can I help?

You can help us by making a one-time or monthly donation to support and expand our work. One-hundred percent of your donation will go to support DAWN programs that seek to promote democracy and human rights in the Arab world and unmask those who undermine democracy and rights in the region.  You can make a donation online by clicking here or pressing the DONATE NOW button on our webpage. 

In addition, you can share our work on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, blog posts, and other platforms. The more that people know about the situation of human rights and democracy in the Middle East and North Africa, the identities of the abusers, and the role of foreign governments and businesses, the more pressure we can exert on each of them to change their abusive policies.

Are my donations tax deductible?

No.  Donations to 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations are not tax deductible.

What security measures do you take to ensure the safety of those who communicate with or provide information to DAWN?

DAWN employs top-tier communications service providers and requires two-factor authentication for all accounts where we maintain confidential information. In addition, we train all staff on maintaining the confidentiality of sources and communications.

How do I join the DAWN community of democracy exiles from the Middle East and North Africa?

DAWN provides a network and platform for the diaspora community of democracy exiles from the Arab world, many of whom left their countries following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.  Arab exiles can contribute analysis and commentary to the DAWN platform, Democacy in Exile featuring discussions of a range of issues impacting the region. We will also seek to host and partner with organizations hosting networking and training events for democracy exiles.

What is DAWN's fellowship program?

In addition to its staff, DAWN has established a group of non-resident fellows, including activists, scholars, journalists, and policy experts who will share their expertise and analysis in articles published on our website. You can see these on the DAWN Journal, Democracy In Exile.

How can we receive DAWN's latest updates?

Sign up on our website to receive updates on the work of DAWN.

Plaintiffs for a Lawsuit Seeking to Compel the State Department to Enforce the "Leahy Law"

What is the case about?

The Leahy Law prohibits the provision of U.S. assistance to  foreign security force units that are credibly alleged to be involved in gross violations of human rights.  The U.S. State Department has a different process for assessing such allegations for Israel than it does for every other country (the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum – ILVF), and to date this process has never resulted in any unit of the Israeli security forces being designated as ineligible for U.S. assistance, despite years of credible reports of gross violations of human rights by Israeli security forces, including in the State Department's own Human Rights Reports. The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) prohibits this type of  arbitrary or capricious enforcement, and lack of enforcement,  of U.S. laws. The APA is specifically intended to compel a government agency to apply the law in an equitable and consistent manner.  Plaintiffs in this case will be suing the U.S. Government not for money, but to force the Government to apply the law to Israel in the same manner as it does to every other country.

Who can sue the government in this case?

To sue the U.S. Government under the APA, the plaintiffs must present the courts with plaintiffs who have "standing" – that is, individuals who can demonstrate a real and/or imminent harm as a result of the State Department's current failure to apply the Leahy Law to Israel. DAWN and our lawyers will assist plaintiffs in preparing the required statement to the court explaining why they have "standing." Plaintiffs will be represented by the Law Offices of Bruce Fein.

What kind of people are eligible to be plaintiffs in this case?

We are looking for two groups of potential plaintiffs:

  1. Palestinian-Americans with a close family member in Gaza or the West Bank who confronts death or debilitating injury by IDF operations.
  2. Palestinians present in Gaza or the West Bank who are imminently threatened with death, personal injury, property loss, displacement, or loss of loved ones by the IDF. Such plaintiffs must have the ability to have regular communications with the Law Offices of Bruce Fein including through a translator if needed. 

If I am a plaintiff, will I or my family members receive any money?

No.  The plaintiffs in this lawsuit seek only to compel the U.S. government to comply with the Leahy Law and prohibit assistance to Israeli security force units that have committed gross violations of human rights.

If I am a plaintiff, will my name be public?

If a plaintiff fears retaliation against her family or friends anywhere, their name can be filed under seal, and for public purposes they can be identified under a pseudonym like John Doe or Jane Roe.  Only court personnel will know your identity.

How long will this process take?

We filed this complaint on December 17, 2023. The case could take anywhere between six months to three years to play out, depending on whether it reaches trial, and requires appeal.

What is the time commitment of being a plaintiff?

We will need plaintiffs to participate in the preparation of an initial declaration to the court detailing the injuries and harms they have experienced. DAWN and your attorney will work with you to draft this statement as part of the initial filing. Plaintiffs may be required to answer questions in writing or orally. A video link may be available for this testimony where it is required.  Other than providing testimony, you do not have to be in court when the case is heard.

What do you need from me now?

Please email leahyplaintiffs@dawnmena.org with an outline of why you think you may be eligible to be a plaintiff  (see above) and your contact information.  We will schedule a call with you to walk through the details of your potential claim.

What happens next?

DAWN and the Law Offices of Bruce Fein will review the information we gather for each potential plaintiff and select those that meet the expected legal standing requirements.  If you are not selected, this is not in any way a reflection on the legitimacy of your complaint, but only on its direct relevance to the litigation we are pursuing, and whether we have sufficient plaintiffs for each legal theory of standing.  DAWN will communicate with you to inform you whether we believe you would be an optimal fit for this case, and if so will start to work with you on next steps, including drafting a legal submission.

Help DAWN protect the lives and rights of Palestinians in Gaza.

We’re fighting for a ceasefire and accountability for Israeli and U.S. officials responsible for war crimes in Gaza.