Join the Twitter storm calling for the immediate release of Emirati activist Ahmed Mansoor
ICFUAE invites you to join us on Twitter on Saturday, 20 February as we call for the release of Emirati human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor, who has been unjustly imprisoned in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for nearly 4 years.
Who is Ahmed Mansoor?
Ahmed Mansoor is a prominent human rights defender who has worked extensively with international rights organisations to raise awareness of human rights abuses in the UAE. He serves on the advisory boards of the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) and Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) Middle East division. In 2015, Mansoor won the prestigious Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders for all of his efforts in the field of human rights.
On 20 March 2017, he was arrested in a midnight raid on his home and later sentenced to ten years in prison for “defaming the UAE through social media channels” under draconian cybercrime laws in the UAE. In the weeks before his arrest, Mansoor had criticised the UAE’s prosecutions of other activists for speech “crimes” and tweeted about rights violations in Egypt and Yemen.
For all of his detention (currently, 3 years, 11 months) Mansoor has been kept in solitary confinement in a cell without a bed, access to books, sunlight or fresh air. To protest against these deplorable conditions, he launched two separate hunger strikes in March and September 2019 to little avail. He is still kept in solitary confinement, however, he is now able to contact close family members and spend limited time outdoors.
Ahmed Mansoor has repeatedly been subjected to physical and mental abuse by prison warders. Most recently, GCHR and HRW have reported that he suffers from high blood pressure, which is increasingly worrisome in light of the Covid-19 pandemic and the absence of proper medical care in the UAE prison system.
How can you help Ahmed Mansoor?
On Saturday, 20 February, we are urging anyone who wants to draw attention to Mansoor’s plight to join the Twitter storm: Post as many tweets throughout the day using the hashtags #FreeAhmed and #GiveAhmedABed.
Who can you address the tweets to?
You can address the tweets to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum @HHShkMohd, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ask him to #FreeAhmed. You can also tweet to Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan @SaifBZayed, the Minister of Interior, who is the authority responsible for prisons in the UAE and to Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan @MohamedBinZayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
You can write your own tweets or use the samples below.
- .@Ahmed_Mansoor is still unjustly imprisoned in the #UAE nearly 4 years later for peacefully exercising his rights to #FreedomofExpression, association & assembly. We urge @SaifBZayed, @MohamedBinZayed and @HHShkMohd to #FreeAhmed immediately and unconditionally!
- Under the #MandelaRules, @Ahmed_Mansoor should be given a bed, medical assistance and access to books and newspapers. Instead the #UAE has held him in solitary confinement for 3 years and 11 months without any basic necessities. We call for his immediate release! #FreeAhmed
- #UAE: Activist and @MartinEnnals award laureate @Ahmed_Mansoor has remained in solitary confinement in a 2m x 2m cell with no mattress to sleep on for nearly 4 years. Please join us and call on #UAE rulers @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed to immediately & unconditionally #FreeAhmed.
- #HumanRights activist @Ahmed_Mansoor has been in solitary confinement for nearly 4 years, sleeping on a prison floor. Pending Ahmed’s release, we urge the #UAE to adhere to basic prisoners’ rights and #GiveAhmedABed to prevent a deterioration of his health. #FreeAhmed
- #UAE: Activist @Ahmed_Mansoor remains in solitary confinement at al-Sadr prison. His 4sqm cell lacks a mattress and he is denied access to books. These detention conditions amount to #torture and are extremely detrimental to his already poor health. #GiveAhmedABed #FreeAhmed
- #UAE: #PrisonerOfConscience @Ahmed_Mansoor was sentenced to 10 years in prison for peacefully exercising his right to #FreedomOfExpression, association & assembly. He has committed no crime & should be released immediately. @SaifBZayed, @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed #FreeAhmed
- .@Ahmed_Mansoor, a prominent #HRD, devoted his life to raising awareness of #HumanRight violations in the #UAE until he himself was unjustly jailed. His incarceration constitutes an act of direct reprisal against his peaceful activism. @MohamedBinZayed & @HHShkMohd #FreeAhmed
- #HRD @Ahmed_Mansoor has been subjected to beatings & other forms of physical & mental abuse by warders at al-Sadr prison. As a result, his health has deteriorated leaving him vulnerable to #COVID19. We call on the #UAE authorities to #FreeAhmed immediately and unconditionally!
- It’s ironic that after winning the prestigious @MartinEnnals Award for Human Rights Defenders in 2015, @Ahmed_Mansoor, was arrested for peacefully defending human rights. We urge #UAE to #FreeAhmed & #GiveAhmedABed
- #UAE: Since his arrest 3 years and 11 months ago, #PrisonerOfConscience @Ahmed_Mansoor has been tortured and subjected to permanent solitary confinement in #AbuDhabi’s al-Sadr prison. Please join us & call for his immediate and unconditional release. #FreeAhmed
- We urge the #UAE to immediately and unconditionally release @Ahmed_Mansoor and other human rights defenders who are unjustly imprisoned solely for their peaceful human rights activities. @HHShkMohd, @MohamedBinZayed, @AnwarGargash & MOJ_UAE #FreeAhmed #LetThePrisonersOut
- Free @Ahmed_Mansoor, an Emirati poet and activist, who under draconian cybercrime laws was sentenced to 10 years in prison for peacefully criticising the #UAE authorities’ #HumanRights violations. @HHShkMohd, @AnwarGargash, MOJ_UAE & @MohamedBinZayed #FreeAhmed
- In direct violation of the @UN’s Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, @Ahmed_Mansoor is denied the most basic of human needs. He is detained in isolation in a tiny cell without a bed to sleep on. Please join us and urge the #UAE government to #FreeAhmed.
