Human Rights Watch urges UAE to release Ahmed Mansoor

Human Rights Watch have called on the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to release a local rights activist who has been on hunger strike for four weeks, citing concerns over his health and prison conditions.

The health of Ahmed Mansoor, an award-winning human rights activist, has been deteriorating rapidly as a result of his prolonged protest, Human Rights Watch said.

This follows a call for his release from Amnesty International last week.

In 2018, the Emirati human rights campaigner was sentenced to 10 years for criticising the government on social media in a case that has drawn criticism from the United Nations, the EU Parliament and international rights groups.

Mansoor’s convictions and poor treatment in detention represent an act of brutal state repression that grossly violates his basic rights under international law.