Join the Twitter storm for the immediate release of Emirati activist Ahmed Mansoor

ICFUAE invites you to join the Twitter storm on Thursday, 20 May as we call for the release of Emirati human rights defender, Ahmed Mansoor, who has been unjustly imprisoned in the UAE for over four 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 violations 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 his efforts in the human rights field. 

On 20 March 2017, Mansoor was arrested in a midnight raid on his home and detained in an undisclosed location without access to a lawyer. He was later sentenced to ten years in al-Sadr prison for ‘defaming the UAE through social media channels’ under the UAE’s draconian cybercrime laws. His arrest and persecution exemplify the many efforts by the Emirati authorities to silence those exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly. 

Over the past four years and a bit (1,521 days), Mansoor has been kept in solitary confinement in a 2m x 2m cell without a bed, access to books, sunlight or fresh air. To protest against these deplorable conditions, he launched two hunger strikes in March and September 2019. Today, 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 the al-Sadr prison warders. In early 2021, GCHR and HRW reported that Mansoor 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. May 2021 will mark 50 months since Mansoor’s arrest in 2017. 

How can you help Ahmed Mansoor?

On Thursday, 20 May, 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. 

1. 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 4 years and 2 months without any basic necessities. We call for his immediate release! #FreeAhmed
2. 1521 days = 4 years, 2 months that @Ahmed_Mansoor has been in solitary confinement in #UAE prison. His treatment in prison amounts to #torture and is detrimental to his health. We call for his immediate and unconditional release! #FreeAhmed #GiveAhmedaBed
3. #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 over 4 years. Please join us and call on #UAE rulers @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed to immediately & unconditionally #FreeAhmed
4. #HumanRights activist @Ahmed_Mansoor has been in solitary confinement for over 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
5. #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
6. Human rights defender and poet @Ahmed_Mansoor is still unjustly imprisoned in the #UAE over 4 years after his arbitrary arrest. We urge @SaifBZayed @MohamedBinZayed and @HHShkMohd to #FreeAhmed immediately and unconditionally!
7. .@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
8. #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!
9. 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
10. #UAE: Since his arrest 50 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
11. We urge the #UAE to immediately and unconditionally release @Ahmed_Mansoor and other #humanrights defenders who are unjustly imprisoned solely for their peaceful human rights activities. @HHShkMohd, @MohamedBinZayed, @AnwarGargash & MOJ_UAE #FreeAhmed #GiveAhmedABed
12. 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, @MOJ_UAE & @MohamedBinZayed #FreeAhmed
13. 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