US State Department sheds light on human rights violations in UAE

The Dubai Regional Media Hub, which leads the US State Department’s efforts to build relations with media outlets throughout the Arab world through interviews and social media, shed light in its annual report on Abdelsalam al-Marzooqi's case.

Imprisoned activist Abdelsalam al-Marzooqi was held in solitary confinement in a secret location for eight months and denied visiting and contact rights for more than a year, the report said.

"Some prisoners were not permitted exercise or reading materials. There were reports that some prisoners did not have access to outside areas and exposure to sunlight. In Abu Dhabi, there also were reports of dangerously hot conditions when air conditioners broke during periods of extreme high temperatures," the report reads.

The report quoted the Gulf Centre for Human Rights as blaming the death in February of Jordanian journalist and writer Tayseer al-Najjar, two years after his release from prison, on health complications caused by the conditions during his confinement, which al-Najjar’s wife supported. His sentence ended in December 2018, but he remained imprisoned until February 2019 due to his inability to pay a large fine, which local authorities eventually waived at the time of his release.

According to the report, the UAE government often held persons in custody for extended periods without charge or a preliminary judicial hearing.

Read full report here: