United Arab Emirates: ‘not a country for business as usual’

12/01/22

While the United Arab Emirates is making a good impression with EXPO 2020, lawyers and other human rights defenders are languishing in prison in the Gulf state.

Of course, it looks neat, the website of World Expo 2020, which is currently being held in Dubai. According to the website, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was very happy when it heard in 2013 that it had been chosen to organize the World Expo.

But as fireworks were set off to celebrate this sign of global recognition, three human rights lawyers were in custody, awaiting the mass trial in which they and 91 other human rights defenders were eventually sentenced to long prison sentences. The lawyers Mohammed al-Roken, Mohammed al-Mansoori and Razzaq al-Siddiq are now serving a ten-year prison sentence for signing a petition for political reform and for defending human rights defenders.

Leaked letters

“I know Al-Mansoori and Al-Roken well, they are friends of mine,” said Khalid Ibrahim, Director of the independent human rights organization Gulf Center for Human Rights (CGHR). In 2011, Al-Roken defended the famous poet and human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor. Mansoor has been in prison since 2017. He was the last human rights defender in the UAE who was still free. Through leaked letters we know how Mansoor is treated: solitary confinement in a bare cell, no contact with his family, no books and no medication for his heart disease. Even his mattress was taken from him.”

Ibrahim has serious concerns about the circumstances of the three lawyers. “Their prison sentences will end in 2023, but it is questionable whether they will be released. On heyday, prisoners are released early on a regular base, but they never include political prisoners. At the same time there are people whose sentences have ended, but who are not released because they refuse to admit in a video that they are guilty.”

[….]

United Arab Emirates: ‘not a country for business as usual’

CORRECTION:
We have just been informed by GCHR that Mr. Al-Saddiq is a scholar and professor but not a human rights lawyer.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammed_Al-Rukn

"While the #UAE is making a good impression with #EXPO2020 lawyers and other HRDS are languishing in prison in the Gulf state".

Read interview with Khalid Ibrahim, Director of @GulfCentre4HR, about the alternative HR expo and lawyers at risk in the UAE. https://t.co/82l2VNhFKC

— Lawyers for Lawyers (@L4L_INT) January 12, 2022

https://twitter.com/sooha67/status/1480423511395024896?s=20

#HRDefender @DrAlRoken has spent 3463 days of his life in $UAE jail solely for peacefully exercising his right to freedom of expression. We will not stop until he is released and back with his family. @UAEEmbassyUS @HHshkMohd @MohamedBinZayed @SaifBZayed @aiusamena #FreeAlRoken pic.twitter.com/IVUjdFpwwT

— alireza azizi (@alirezaazizi) January 10, 2022

2022 is a crucial year for @DrAlRoken & many other members of the #UAE94, as their sentences are due to expire. We call on the #UAE authorities to release these detainees on their due date without further delay. #StopIndefiniteDetention #FreeAlRoken #FreeUAE94 pic.twitter.com/9ixM9Tilbh

— ICFUAE | Int'l. Campaign For Freedom in the UAE (@ICFUAE) January 1, 2022

Tagged: Gulf Center for Human Rights, Lawyers for Lawyers, UAE