Seven Emirati prisoners complete their prison terms, not released

Seven Emirati prisoners of conscience have completed this week their prison terms in Emirati jails. However, they were not released yet.

The prisoners are Ahmed Hassan Al-Sartmani Ismail Al-Huwaisi, Salem Musa Al-Halyan, Khaled Fadel Jassim, Ali Mohammed Al-Shehhi, Ahmed Haji Al Qubaissi and Ahmed Kenaid Al Muhairi.

The prisoners are expected to be sent to the so-called ‘Counselling Centres’, in yet another violation of human rights and the principles of the rule of law.

As a whole, 56 prisoners of conscience are continued to be held in UAE jails without any legal basis after ending their prison sentences, but were not released by Emirati authorities.

They remain held in flagrant violation of national and international laws, in what is called as “indefinite detention”.

Those indefinitely detained remain arrested without due process, which violates international law - namely the right to liberty and the right to a fair trial as well as the UAE’s own laws regarding fair trials and due process.