On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, We Remember Victims of Torture in the UAE

June 26th marks the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. On this occasion, we renew calls for an end to torture use against prisoners held arbitrary in UAE jails.
The UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture on 26 June marks the moment in 1987 when the UN Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment came into effect. 
Since the Convention has been ratified by the UAE five years ago, little has been done by the authorities to effectively implement this main international human rights instrument.
To date, the UAE has not responded to eight requests by Special Procedures – some dating as far back as 2005 – to visit the country, including from the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders (SRHRD ), the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression(SRFRDX ) and the WGAD.
Over the last years, fundamental rights have been under continuous attack: lawyers, professors, human rights defenders and those critical of the government have been prosecuted for making use of their right to freedom of expression. 
To that end, the UAE expanded its legal arsenal to stifle any dissent. The Penal Code was amended as to increase sanctions for “insulting the president of the UAE” and “harming the reputation of the State”.