Rights sources: Mariem al-Balushi being bargained for her freedom

The Emirati political prisoner Mariem al-Balushi was forced to file a lawsuit in London against human rights organisations for allegedly spreading false and fabricated news about her detention in exchange for her release.

The Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center learned that al-Balushi agreed to the offer and even gave her a power of attorney for the law firm to begin warning human rights organisations and filing lawsuits, the authorities did not keep their promise and did not release the Emirati activist.

Maryam al-Balushi and Amina al-Abdouli have both been detained in the UAE since 2015, having been tried and charged in breach of international standards on detention and fair trials.

Despite their sentences having come to an end both remain behind bars, held in inhumane conditions at al-Wathba Prison, Abu Dhabi. Reports indicate both women's mental and physical health has suffered severely during their detention, with inadequate support offered by the Emirati authorities.