UAE: Human Rights Groups Urge Release of Activists Before Elections

Amnesty International, the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information (ANHRI), Front Line Defenders, and Human Rights Watch have urged the UAE to release five activists–Ahmed Mansoor, a blogger and member of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East advisory board and ANHRI; Nasser bin Ghaith, Fahad Salim Dalk, Ahmed Abdul-Khaleq, and Hassan Ali al-Khamis–imprisoned for “publicly insulting” the president of the UAE as well as other “top officials.” These human rights organizations issued a statement Thursday stating, “Emirati authorities should immediately drop all charges against five activists imprisoned after calling for greater political rights and freedoms and free them ahead of national elections on September 24, 2011.” The aforementioned groups have also requested to attend the activists’ trial on September 26 if it resumes as scheduled.

Middle East Director at Human Rights Watch Sarah Leah Whitson said that “continuing this sham trial two days after elections undermines any claim that UAE authorities really want to expand political participation in the country.” Rawda Ahmed of ANHRI noted that “it’s not enough that people can go out and vote. They must be free to have a say in the political process without fear of being jailed.”