Articles for United Arab Emirates

Osama Al Najjar, an Emirati human rights activist and the son of one of the 'UAE94', was tortured for four days during his secret detention by officers from the state security services who arrested him for a tweet. He was arrested on 17 March 2014 on his way back home, the day after he posted a tweet in reply to a radio statement made by the Emir of Sharjah Emirate on the 'UAE94' case.

The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's independent experts adopted an opinion confirming the arbitrary nature of the detention of those detained in the 'UAE94' case and requested the UAE government release them.

Two days ago, Osama Al Najjar, a 25 year-old architectural engineer, was arrested on the road by several men in civilian clothes on his way back home from a visit to his doctor at around 4 pm. Osama is now being held in an unknown location outside the protection of the law.

Dr Abdulrahmane Al Jaidah, a Qatari doctor arrested one year ago at Dubai international Airport by the State Security Services, was sentenced to seven years imprisonment following an unfair trial on 3 March 2014 by the Abu Dhabi Federal Supreme Court for "helping an illegal secret organisation". He is currently imprisoned in Al-Razeen prison, the same detention facility where some of the UAE94 are being unlawfully detained. Today, Alkarama asked the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention to intervene with the UAE authorities to request his immediate release.

Jamal Al Hammadi, a teacher of Islamic education from Khor Fakkan abducted on 20 April 2013 by state security services, was last seen 5 February 2014 in Abu Dhabi's State Security prison. A group of detainees recently transferred from this prison facility reported that Jamal was being detained there in very harsh conditions.

(Beirut) – The convictions of 69 defendants in the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) mass trial of 94 government critics on July 2, 2013, were based on a fundamentally unfair trial, a coalition of human rights groups said today. The convictions probably violated the right of free association of many of those accused.

United Arab Emirates state security officers have subjected detainees to systematic mistreatment, including torture, say hand-written letters from detainees smuggled out of jails, Alkarama, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said today. The groups obtained 22 statements written by some of the 94people on trial for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government.

We welcome the adoption of the outcome of the UPR of the United Arab Emirates, which reflected many important recommendations to address human rights concerns in the country.

In particular, we commend the UAE's accession to the UN Convention against Torture, in reflection of recommendations made during its first UPR. We therefore encourage the UAE to provide its initial periodic report as due, in August 2013.