Articles for United Arab Emirates

UAE : Release on bail of 6 members of the “Khor Fakan Group” arrested in dawn raids in October 2008

Alkarama for Human Rights is pleased to announce the release on bail of the following individuals for whom Alkarama had submitted a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (see our original communiqué of 15 July 2009):

1. Mr.

28 Oct 2009

Emirates: Two Uyghers detained in al-Wathba prison

Nearly 16 months ago, in June 2008, Abdelsalim Salim, 35, and Akbar Omar, 33, two Uyghers, were arrested with their wives by State Security forces in Dubai. They have been held in solitary confinement since their arrest and are currently detained in al-Wathba prison, Abu Dhabi's central prison.

At the time of their arrest they were threatened with deportation to China, where they would have faced execution, if they did not sign false confessions.

01 Oct 2009

UAE: Naji Hamdan sentence set for 14 October

Alkarama has received news regarding the trial of Naji Hamdan that a sentence is to be given on 14 October 2009.

Alkarama is concerned by reports from the most recent hearing in his case, which took place on 14 September 2009, that the court is relying on confessions extracted under torture and that the prosec

17 Sep 2009

UAE: Naji Hamdan trial unexpectedly closed; Hamdan confirms to Alkarama that he was tortured

On 20 July 2009, the second and substantive hearing in the trial of Naji Hamdan, a US-Lebanese citizen whose case Alkarama has submitted to the UN Human Rights Special Procedures, was to be held at the Federal Supreme Court of Abu Dhabi.

Alkarama and other human rights organisations and his US attorneys concerned by this case were present to observe the trial, but were refused access in a last minute decision by the judge to close the hearing.

24 Jul 2009

UAE: Arbitrary detention and torture in the "fight against terrorism"

On 1 October 2008, members of the police and the State Security (Amn Al Dawla) brutally raided the homes of several people, arresting numerous men who are currently being held arbitrarily.

On 14 July 2009, Alkarama sent a communication to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, asking it to intervene with the Emirati authorities in the case of the persons listed below, who are currently detained arbitrarily and for whom there are fears of torture and ill-treatment:

15 Jul 2009

UAE: Abdul Rahman Al-Junahi released after being held incommunicado

Abdul Rahman Abdul Karim Al-Junahi was released on 11 June 2009, without having been subject to any legal procedure.

11 Jun 2009

UAE: Alkarama follows up cases and UPR pledges with a country visit

Members of Alkarama's legal department travelled to the United Arab Emirates from 11-16 April 2009. The purpose of the visit was to follow up on certain cases and to consider the human rights situation in the U.A.E in order to better understand and evaluate the situation in the country.

19 May 2009

United Arab Emirates: Al-Diqqi released, 10 year prison sentence reduced

Hassan Al-Diqqi, an outspoken political reformist in his country through various unofficial associations for over twenty years, was arrested on 20July 2008. On the 4 March 2009, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison. However, he appealed the decision, which led to his sentence being reduced to 6 months' imprisonment. He was released on the 11 May 2009.

Reminder:

18 May 2009

United Arab Emirates: Abdullah Al-Alili released after more than two years in prison

On 15 February 2007, Abdullah Al-Alili was arbitrarily arrested, detained incommunicado and later sentenced, in an unfair trial, to three years imprisonment on 1 October 2007. On 8 May 2009, after two years and three months, he was released.

11 May 2009

United Arab Emirates: Al-Junahi remains subject to secret detention

Khalil Abdul Rahman Al-Junahi, who was arbitrarily detained for 19 months in Saudi Arabia and then transferred to the United Arab Emirates on 24 November 2008, has now been in solitary confinement for over 150 days.

Alkarama made in the past requests to the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (c

27 Apr 2009