The first and second hearings in the trial of the UAE94 were held on March 4th and 11th respectively, with international observers prevented access. Reports from the trial have raised alarm bells that fair trial norms are still not being respected. The UAE should allow international legal experts to monitor the trial of the UAE94 and investigate the defendants' allegations of torture and mistreatment.
On Monday 11 March 2013, the second hearing of the UAE94 trial was held at the Supreme Federal Court, in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi - Earlier today, a delegation of 20 international observers representing various international NGOs was denied access to the trial of 94 activists which was scheduled at 10:00 this morning at the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi - Ninety-four peaceful activists are due to be brought before the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi tomorrow morning, Monday 4 March 2013, on state security offences. Limited access to lawyers, withholding of evidence and details on the charges by the State Prosecution, no right to appeal the court's decision, detentions in undisclosed locations... Before the trial even began, flagrant flaws in the 'UAE94' case have been reported, recalling the irregularities which marred the case of the 'UAE5' in 2011.
Rami Al-Mrayat, a 25 year-old Jordanian citizen and former employee of the Gulf aircraft maintenance company, was arrested by the Emirati security services on 19 November 2011 at Abu Dhabi International Airport while he was about to return to his country. Tortured and held in secret detention for almost 5 months, he was transferred to Al-Wathba prison in Abu Dhabi on 4 April 2012.
Today, the human rights record of the United Arab Emirates will be reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council as the situation in the country continues to deteriorate.
Alkarama was able to express its concerns on the current human rights situation in the United Arab Emirates earlier today, during the pre-session briefing organized by UPR-Info.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities should immediately bring a victim of enforced disappearance, Ahmed al-Suweidi, before judicial authorities and open a thorough and impartial investigation into credible allegations of torture at State Security facilities. Human Rights Watch was joined in its statement by Alkarama (Dignity), the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), and Index on Censorship.
Alkarama and other human rights groups wrote to the UK and US authorities to urge them to intervene with the UAE authorities regarding the unprecedented crackdown against Emirati activists taking place in the country. Since last December, the authorities have illegally detained 50 civil society activists and human rights lawyers. We fear that more people will be illegally arrested and detained as there has been an escalation in the crackdown against peaceful political dissidents and human rights activists in the past two weeks.
On 1 August 2012, Alkarama and other Human Rights Groups wrote to UK Foreign Secretary William Hague to urge him to intervene with the UAE authorities regarding the recent unprecedented crackdown against activists .
Dear Foreign Secretary,
We are writing to draw your attention to some disturbing human rights developments in the United Arab Emirates, where the authorities have launched a campaign of arrest, arbitrary detention and deportation to repress and intimidate peaceful political activists.
On 31 July 2012, Alkarama and other Human Rights Groups wrote to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to urge her to intervene with the UAE authorities regarding the recent unprecedented crackdown against activists.
Dear Secretary Clinton,
We are writing to draw your attention to some disturbing human rights developments in the United Arab Emirates, where the authorities have launched a campaign of arrest, arbitrary detention and deportation to repress and intimidate peaceful political activists.
