Over the past few days, the United Arab Emirates have increased their efforts to silence human rights and political activists who have exercised their legitimate right to freedom of expression by arresting them on national security grounds. At least 15 activists have been arrested by the Emirati security services in the last 72 hours in Ras Al-Khaimah, Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi following the forced deportation of Bidoon human rights defender Ahmed Abdulkhaleq to Thailand on 16 July, which was identified as a 'very disturbing case' by the UN.
Alkarama today provided its submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the United Arab Emirates to the UN for inclusion in the preparation of the summary of NGO information. The report highlighted key concerns, including the crackdown on essential freedoms of expression and association, the use of arbitrary arrests, detention and torture by the authorities to silence dissent, and the plight of the Bidoon in the country.
Alkarama was informed that Mr Abdul Khaleq, one of the UAE5, a group of five well known government critics and human rights defenders who were subjected to and unfair trial in the United Arab Emirates last year, was re-arrested on 22 May 2012.
Alkarama today submitted an urgent appeal to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, and the UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, informing them of the arbitrary arrest of Mr Sultan bin Kayed al-Qasimi.
UAE security forces arrested Mr al-Qasimi, the president of the Islah association, on Friday 20 April 2012, without showing an arrest warrant or informing him of any charges against him. He was transferred to the ruler's house in Ras al-Khaimah, and was held in isolation from the outside world.
The detention of Ahmed Mansoor, aged 42, well-known Emirati human rights defender, for more than 7 months was arbitrary, announced the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention. They also called on the Emirati authorities to provide him with reparation for this unfair treatment. It seems in fact that Mansoor's surprise pardon on 28 November may have been the result of the UN's decision on the case.
Attacks on the freedom of expression worsened in the Emirates in 2011, stated Alkarama in a communication to the Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression today. The communication detailed human rights violations carried out against whistleblowers from the Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) Faisal Al Zaidi and Rachid Bin Abbad who denounced corruption within the company. The communication also described a number of other incidents in the country in which authorities have tried to restrain criticism of governmental policies.
(Abu Dhabi, November 28, 2011) – Yesterday's verdict by the United Arab Emirates' Federal Supreme Court condemning 5 activists to sentences from 2 to 3 years in prison is the result of a trial which does not conform with international norms for a fair trial. The panel of four foreign judges delivered the verdict in a ten-minute oral statement in court, sentencing Ahmed Mansoor, a prominent UAE reformer, to three years imprisonment and the rest to two years each for publicly insulting UAE authorities.
Abdessalam Salim, 37, and Omar Akbar, 35, two Chinese Muslims (Uighurs) were arrested in June 2008 in Dubai with their spouses by the security forces of the state. After two years of solitary confinement, they were tried and sentenced by the Federal Supreme Court on 29 June 2010 to ten years in prison for terrorism, a decision that they were not able to appeal.
Coalition of 7 International Rights Groups Calls for Independent Judicial Inquiry
Dubai– The Federal Supreme Court trial of five Emirati activists accused of "publicly insulting" top United Arab Emirates officials in an internet forum has been grossly unfair, and the case against them has no basis in international law as it violates their freedom of expression, a trial observer appointed by a coalition of international human rights organizations said today.
