UAE authorities target families of dissidents

Relatives of opposition members risk losing citizenship and the withdrawal of state services, tactics human rights groups describe as ‘collective punishment’.

Emirati authorities have rottenly targeted relatives of dissidents living in exile or prison, according to human rights activists.

Dozens of people were arrested by state security forces in what it described as “collective punishment”.

 Emirati authorities had revoked citizenship from 19 relatives of two dissidents.

 Another 30 relatives of six dissidents were banned from traveling, while another 22 relatives of three dissidents are banned from renewing their ID documents.

Relatives of dissidents faced further obstacles, such as restrictions on the work they could do, as well as facing difficulty pursuing higher education.