UN Expert: Release UAE human rights defenders serving long-term prison sentences

Today, 10 February 2021, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Mary Lawlor, denounced the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) long-term imprisonment of prominent human rights defenders Mohammed Al-Roken, Ahmed Mansoor and Nasser Bin Ghaith. All three activists are serving 10-year sentences for peaceful and legitimate human rights activities.

Lawlor expressed concern that the Emirati government was setting a dangerous precedent by imprisoning those who were speaking out against the already limited human rights freedoms in the UAE. The UN has called upon the Emirati authorities to release the activists so that they can continue their ‘meaningful and necessary human rights work’. The Special Rapporteur now has vowed to prioritise the imprisonment of these human rights defenders during her 3-year mandate with the UN Human Rights Council.  

Today’s report follows from a joint statement issued by numerous NGOs, including ICFUAE, on 10 December 2020 condemning Dr Al-Roken’s imprisonment conditions and urging the UAE authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him. 

ICFUAE statement:

ICFUAE welcomes today’s statement. We are deeply concerned about the health and well-being of human rights defenders Mohammed Al-Roken, Ahmed Mansoor and Nasser Bin Ghaith. 

Detained in degrading and unsanitary detention conditions, all three prisoners are at risk. Both Dr. Bin Ghaith and Ahmed Mansoor suffer from high blood pressure, which makes them particularly vulnerable to Covid-19.

We are also deeply alarmed about the UAE prison authorities’ consistent denial of medical care and the systematic mental and physical abuse of detainees at the hands of warders. 

We continue to urge the UAE authorities for their urgent release, and, in the interim, their fair treatment in accordance with international standards of detention.  

We further would like to reiterate calls for transparency from the UAE authorities about the detention facilities and inmate health conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. 

ENDS

- For more information or comment, please contact ICFUAE at 079 79666698.