Country: United Arab Emirates

While the United Arab Emirates markets itself as a progressive economic safe-haven and cultural hub in the region, with offshoots of New York and Sorbonne University, as well as the Louvre museum, the human rights reality on the ground stands at stark contrast.

Freedom of opinion and expression is severely limited by a restrictive legal framework, including the Cybercrime Law, the Law on Combating Terrorist Crimes and the Penal Code, making critical civil society space non-existent. Human rights defenders and peaceful dissidents face harsh reprisals for their activism, often in the form of arbitrary detention. Torture is systematically practised to obtain confessions that are later used as the sole evidence at trial to sentence individuals to long prison terms.

Regionally, the UAE adopts an interventionist approach within the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, where it consolidated its control over large areas in the south of the country, controlling the seaport, airport, military checkpoints and some official as well as unofficial detention centres.

“UAE94” detainee Omran Al Harthi re-tried under new terrorism charges in the “UAE84” mass trial

In March 2011, the UAE carried out a comprehensive crackdown on the Reform and Social Guidance Association (Al Islah). In 2013, the UAE then engaged in a controversial mass trial of 94 individuals commonly referred to as the “UAE94”; 94 intellectuals, activists, and human rights defenders who had openly criticised the Emirati government. All of […]

Jordanian journalist Taysir Salman passes away two years after being released from prison in the UAE

On December 13, 2015, Salman was summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department of Abu Dhabi. Upon arrival at its premises, he was immediately arrested by state security officers and forcibly disappeared for two months. On February 18, 2016, Salman was allowed to contact his family for the first time after his arrest. He informed his […]

Jordanian activist sentenced to 10 years in prison for criticising corruption in his home country, disappeared in the United Arab Emirates

Ahmed al-Atoum is a Jordanian private teacher currently residing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Al-Atoum was frequently campaigning against corruption in Jordan. A few months before his arrest, he submitted a request for asylum at the British Embassy in the UAE, out of fear of being subjected to reprisals in Jordan, in case of […]

Call for the release of prisoners of conscience in the Gulf in light of the lifting of Qatar blockade

On January 5, 2021, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Egypt, signed a “solidarity and stability” agreement, at the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Al-Ulah, Saudi Arabia, ending the blockade on Qatar. The reconciliatory agreement, which restores diplomatic ties, trade and travel between these countries, comes after Saudi Arabia and its allies […]

UAE: Call for the release of human rights defender and lawyer Dr. Mohammed Al-Roken

December 10, 2020 Eight years have passed since the unjust arrest of Dr. Mohammed Al-Roken by the UAE State Security services. On July 2, 2013, the Federal Supreme Court convicted and sentenced Dr. Al-Roken to 10 years imprisonment with additional administrative control measures and forbade him from practicing his profession as a lawyer. He has […]

A coalition of NGOs calls on Hillary Clinton and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security to withdraw from UAE-sponsored Event

A coalition of 14 NGOs delivered a joint letter to Hilary Clinton, the former United States Secretary of State, Melanne Verveer, the Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute, and Agathe Christien, the Hillary Rodham Clinton Research Fellow at the Institute, urging them to withdraw from a Georgetown event sponsored by the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

NGOs express concern over the candidacy of UAE’s Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi to the Presidency of INTERPOL

On October 28, 2020, MENA Rights Group and 18 other organisations delivered a joint letter to the Secretary General of INTERPOL, Jürgen Stock, expressing concern over the potential appointement of UAE’s Ahmed Nasser Al Raisi to the Presidency of Interpol.

Opinion No. 34/2020 concerning Abdullah Awad Salim Al Shamsi (United Arab Emirates)

UAE authorities detain critics and activists at Munasaha “rehabilitation” centres

Research by MENA Rights Group has revealed that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities are using Munasaha centres, or ‘counselling’ centres, to detain critics and activists de facto indefinitely, on broad and vague legal grounds. MENA Rights Group documented the cases of 11 individuals*, listed below, who are currently being detained at Al Razeen Munasaha […]