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.

UAE: Release all those unjustly imprisoned before COP28

A joint appeal from 20+ organisations urging the UAE authorities to release all those unjustly imprisoned in the country, including human rights defenders, lawyers and dissidents, before the start of COP28 in Expo City Dubai between 30 November and 12 December 2023.

The UAE must release all political prisoners before hosting COP28

In this op-ed originally published by Newsweek, our Human Rights Officer Falah Sayed and Emirati activist Jenan AlMarzooqi explain how the UAE is trying to sweep its appalling human rights record under the rug and present itself as “respectful of human rights” by hosting COP28.

Universal Periodic Review: UN Member States urge UAE to protect human rights defenders, prohibit torture and uphold freedom of expression

The UAE received 323 recommendations from UN Member States on various human rights issues during its 4th cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Ahead of the review, MENA Rights Group submitted a shadow report outlining a set of recommendations. In the press release below, we summarise the most crucial recommendations.

Emirati dissident disappears in Jordan, risking forcible return to the UAE

Khalaf Abdul Rahman Abdulla Humaid al-Romaithi is a member of the “UAE 94”, a group of 94 Emirati scholars, activists, lawyers, doctors, and human rights defenders who were tried in 2013 after signing a petition that asked for democratic reforms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). On July 2, 2013, he was convicted in absentia […]

Joint statement: UAE human rights record ahead of COP28

As part of the SANID campaign, MENA Rights Group was joined by 40+ rights organisations in calling on the UAE to end its assault on human rights and freedoms. Ahead of the COP28 in November 2023, we remain deeply concerned over the UAE’s attempt to whitewash its human rights record.

Human rights organisations launch “SANID” campaign in solidarity with prisoners of conscience in the UAE

MENA Rights Group joins five human rights organisations in launching a campaign in solidarity with detainees in the UAE. The SANID campaign, which stands for “Stand Up for UAE Detainees”, began on March 1, 2023, and calls on Emirati authorities to release all prisoners of conscience.

UN Group questions United Arab Emirates on pattern of enforced disappearances in the country

The United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (WGEID) recently published a general allegation on the pattern of enforced disappearances in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), following a submission by MENA Rights Group in September 2022.

Political commentator Sherif Osman facing extradition from UAE to Egypt after calling for protests during COP27

Sherif Osman is a former Egyptian army officer who has been an outspoken critic of the Egyptian regime, including on his YouTube channel. On October 31, 2022, Osman posted a video on his YouTube channel calling for peaceful protests on November 11, during the visit of U.S. President Joe Biden to Egypt during COP27, commonly […]

#FreeSherifOsman: UAE must not extradite political commentator to Egypt, where he would face torture

Following the arrest and detention in the UAE of Egyptian political commentator Sherif Osman, who faces the threat of extradition to Egypt, MENA Rights Group joins a coalition of 25 human rights organisations calling for his immediate release.

The UAE State Security Apparatus: A Tool of Repression Against Dissenting Voices

Executive Summary Human rights violations, including enforced disappearance, torture, and arbitrary detention, have been a long-standing practice in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including as a way to silence and punish peaceful dissenting voices. This has had an intended chilling effect on civil society, human rights defenders, journalists and whistle-blowers. The country’s State Security Apparatus […]