United Arab Emirates

Latest Articles
الإمارات اعتقال رجل أعمال يمني

United Arab Emirates: Yemeni Businessman Incarcerated Following an Unfair Trial Remains in Detention

Yemeni businessman Abdullah Ali Abdulhafidh ABDELWAHAB remains detained at Abu Dhabi’s federal prison, known as Al-Sadr, in conditions that contravene international human rights standards. His contact with his family is extremely limited: when he is allowed to make a phone call, it never lasts more than one minute, deepening the anguish and distress of his relatives. 

11 Sep 2025
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أحكام جائرة

United Arab Emirates: Life sentences reflect regime’s brutality against prisoners of conscience and political opponents

The authorities of the United Arab Emirates are continuing their campaign of repression and intimidation against prisoners of conscience and political opponents, using the justice system and anti-terrorism laws as tools in their war against human rights.

30 Jun 2025
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Abdullah Abdelwahab

UAE: Alkarama brings the case of Abdullah Abdelwahab to the UN, a Yemeni businessman sentenced for Facebook posts

On 11 March 2025, Alkarama submitted to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) the case of Mr. Abdullah Ali Abdulhafidh ABDELWAHAB, a Yemeni businessman who was arbitrarily arrested in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and sentenced to 15 years in prison merely for posts on Facebook. 

12 Mar 2025
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United Arab Emirates
Our concerns
  • Repression of freedom of opinion and expression and reprisals against human rights defenders and peaceful dissidents;
  • Continued and systematic practice of torture to extract confessions during investigations and as a form of punishment;
  • Exportation of the systematic practice of enforced disappearance and torture to UAE-controlled theatres of operation in Yemen.

 

Human Rights Instruments
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)
ICCPR Ratified ?
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Individual Complaint procedure with the Human Rights committee (ICCPR Optional protocol 1) Ratified ?
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Second Optional Protocol of ICCPR (abolition of death penalty) ratified ?
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Next Human Rights Committee State Report due
OVERDUE - State party did not submit report on time
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (UNCAT)
UNCAT Ratified ?
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UNCAT Ratification Date
OPCAT (National Preventive Mechanism) Ratified ?
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National Preventive Mechanism (OPCAT) created ?
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UNCAT Art 20 (confidential inquiries) ratified ?
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UNCAT Art 21 (Interstate complaints) ratified ?
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UNCAT Art 22 (Individual Complaint procedure) Ratified ?
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Date of last Concluding Observations by Committee against Torture (CAT)
Next CAT State Report Due
OVERDUE - State party did not submit report on time
International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (ICPPED)
ICPPED Ratified ?
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ICPPED Art 31 (Individual communications) ratified ?
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ICPPED Art 33 (Inquiry procedure ) ratified ?
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Human Rights Council
Date last Universal Period Review (UPR)
Click here for the last UPR documents
Membership of Human Rights Council:

2013-2018, 2022-2024

Latest Reports
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UAE: Universal Periodic Review - 3rd cycle- Alkarama's Report - Jun 2017

United Arab Emirates
Universal Periodic Review
Report
.

UAE: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention - Opinion 60/2013 - UAE94

United Arab Emirates
Special Procedures
Report
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UAE: Universal Periodic Review- 2nd cycle- Alkarama's report- jul 2012

United Arab Emirates
Universal Periodic Review
Report
WGAD Opinion Diqqi

United Arab Emirates: Working Group on Arbitrary Detention - Opinion 8/2009 - Hassan Al Diqqi

United Arab Emirates
Special Procedures
Report
.

UAE: Universal Periodic Review- 1st cycle- Government Pledges- dec 2008

United Arab Emirates
Universal Periodic Review
Report
More Reports