| UAE_Joint Statement_280317_ARABIC VERSION 3 pages / 4.86 MB |

A coalition of ten human rights
organizations today urged the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to immediately
and unconditionally release Dr Nasser Bin Ghaith, a prominent economist,
academic and human rights defender, who faces a verdict in his case on 29 March
2017. He has been imprisoned in solitary confinement since his arrest in August
2015.
The coalition further appeals to the
UAE authorities to end the criminalization of peaceful expression, including
dissent, and to respect the rights to freedom of expression, association and
assembly.
Bin Ghaith is facing five charges
based solely on his peaceful activities, including his posts on Twitter
expressing peaceful criticism of the human rights records of the UAE and
Egyptian governments and calls for greater respect for human rights, freedoms
and accountability in both countries. His charges also relate to unplanned
meetings that he had during his travels in the region with political activists
whom the UAE government has claimed are members of banned “terror” organizations.
The charges were brought under vague and broad provisions in the Penal Code,
2012 cybercrime law, and the 2014 counterterror law.
If convicted of these charges, Bin
Ghaith could face a sentence of up to life imprisonment or even the death
penalty when the Federal Criminal Court of Appeal issues its verdict on 29
March. Under legislation in force since November 2016, the conviction and
sentence can be appealed to the State Security Chamber of the Federal Supreme
Court.
Bin Ghaith was arrested without a
warrant on 18 August 2015 and neither he nor his family were informed of the
reason for his arrest. The authorities held him in solitary confinement in an
undisclosed location for nine months. He was allowed only intermittent contact
with his family through telephone calls, which were monitored by officials, and
he was not permitted to say where he was held. This treatment amounts to
enforced disappearance and is absolutely prohibited under international human
rights law.
He was not allowed visits with his
family until after the start of his trial when he was moved to Al-Sadr Prison
in Abu Dhabi until 18 May 2016, and his whereabouts became known.
During the first hearing on 4 April
2016, Bin Ghaith told the judge that he had been subjected to torture and other
ill-treatment including beatings and sleep deprivation but, instead of ordering
an independent investigation into his torture allegations, the judge turned off
his microphone, silencing him.
Bin Ghaith was also denied access to
a lawyer during his entire pre-trial detention period, despite repeated interrogations.
He was only allowed to meet his lawyer for the first time at his second trial
session on 2 May 2016, and, in the months that followed, officials restricted
communication with his lawyer both inside and outside of court, further denying
him the right to an adequate defence. Bin Ghaith’s trial has clearly failed to
meet international standards for fair trial.
Since 2011, the UAE authorities have
gone to great lengths to silence criticism of government conduct, mounting an
unprecedented crackdown on peaceful dissent and closing groups perceived as
being critical of the government. State Security officials have subjected
activists and human rights defenders to harassment, arbitrary detention,
torture and other ill-treatment, unfair trials and long prison sentences.
The actions of the UAE authorities
at home contradict their rhetoric abroad. In a speech made at the 34th
session of the UN Human Rights Council on 28 February 2017, the
UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash said that “the UAE
remains deeply committed to promoting respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms…[and]…to promoting tolerance and acceptance.”
However, by
continuing their prosecution of Bin Ghaith and by ignoring recommendations from
independent human rights organizations and UN human rights experts, including
those of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the UN Special Rapporteur
on the independence of judges and lawyers, the UAE authorities are displaying
complete disregard for their obligations under international human rights law
and standards, including under the UN Convention against Torture, to which the
UAE is a state party.
If the UAE authorities
are serious about their commitment to human rights, they will immediately and
unconditionally release Bin Ghaith and all other human rights defenders and
respect their right to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly.
The international community must stop looking the other way and hold the UAE
authorities to their word.
The
undersigned human rights organizations:
Background:
Dr
Nasser Bin Ghaith was previously arrested in April 2011 alongside four other
activists and human rights defenders (collectively known as the “UAE5”) for
calling for economic, political and social reforms in the UAE. In November
2011, after an unfair trial, he was convicted of “insulting officials” and sentenced
to two years’ imprisonment. Following an international outcry, the UAE
President pardoned Bin Ghaith and the others, and he was released.
For
more background on Bin Ghaith’s case, see:
Signed:
| Tweet |