Torture in the United Arab Emirates: The Tolerance Charade - A Report by Wejha Centre for Studies Produced in cooperation with the Gulf Centre for ...
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Torture in the United Arab
Emirates:
The Tolerance Charade
A Report by Wejha Centre for Studies
Produced in cooperation with
the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR)
with support from the European Union
February 2021
1Table of Contents
I. Introduction 3
II. The Legal Framework 4
Federal Legislation and International Conventions 4
Legal Analysis 5
III. Background on the Practice of Torture and Ill-Treatment 8
Arab Spring and the Escalation of Torture 9
Detainees from the UAE 9
Detainees from Abroad 10
Torture in Recent Years (2017-2020) 11
Ahmed Mansoor 11
Artur Ligęska 13
Dr. Nasser Bin Ghaith 14
Alia Abdel-Noor 15
Amina Al-Abdouli 17
Maryam Al-Balushi 18
Sheikha Latifa Al Maktoum 20
Abdullah Al-Shamsi 21
Salem Musa Fayrouz Khamis 21
Tayseer Al-Najjar 22
Matthew Hedges 23
Other Detainees 24
The Spread of COVID-19 24
Torture Forms and Methods 25
IV. Investigations Post Torture 25
The Istanbul Protocol 25
Judicial Negligence and Impunity 26
Handling Torture Complaints 26
Complaints about Torture and the UAE Authorities’ Reactions 27
V. Recommendations 28
2I. Introduction
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) rulers present the country to the world as a sponsor of the future
capable of making the impossible happen. A country that is heading off to space. An ambassador of
tolerance. A country with the tallest structure in the world - Burj Khalifa.1 A country that promotes itself
as a safe haven amid popular uprisings and conflicts in the Middle East. But the truth is that underneath
these glamorous slogans and cutting edge concrete structures, a stifling reality prevails, in which the UAE
has progressively eliminated any voices or ideas that could possibly develop into the least form of
criticism, in order to prevent them from turning into civil movements that represent the people.
This is evident through a number of features, most importantly the limited political participation of
Emirati citizens, who are in fact a minority in the country.2 Real political participation was replaced by an
advisory council, half of whose members are appointed by the authorities, and the other half is elected
(since 2006) by a limited group of citizens who were carefully hand-picked by the authorities.
In addition, the UAE has tightened its control over the media, and made sure to maintain a tight grip over
permits for any media platforms.The authorities also enacted penal laws to combat terrorist acts3 and
cybercrime4 that include provisions condemning any criticism of the ruling families and friendly
countries, and any attempt to exercise freedom of assembly in a manner that could bring to the public
space actors who do not share the views of the authorities.
These laws and amendments were preceded by waves of arrests of activists, academics, dissidents and
clerics that began in April 2011 with the arrest of five activists who came to be known as the UAE 5, who
were accused of publicly insulting the head of state and his vice president by comments that were posted
on an online platform. These measures were followed by dissolving the Association of Jurists and the
Teachers' Association.
After that, seven citizens had their nationality arbitrarily withdrawn. Then, the authorities carried out a
series of arbitrary arrests that began in March 2012, followed by the forced disappearance of a group of
people, alleged to be members of Al-Islah, a political association, and others affiliated with it. During the
first trial hearing, which was first appearance of these detainees after months in secret prisons, they
announced that they were subjected to torture, and that forced confessions have been extracted from them
under duress and used as evidence of guilt. These allegations have not been investigated, nor have the
perpetrators been prosecuted.5
While the UAE still has the top rank in the list of the world’s tallest buildings, it is ironically ranked 128th
out of 162 countries in the 2019 Human Freedom Index – 24 spots down from where it stood in 2016 and
2017.6 This is based on information and facts that came to the attention of the European Parliament in
2018, including:
● Reports on a number of human rights violations committed in UAE prisons, and in particular Al-
Razeen prison, including solitary confinement and electric shocks and other forms of torture.
● The intentional targeting of human rights defenders and political prisoners in the UAE prison
system.
1
Skyscraper Center, http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/burj-khalifa/3
2
Freedom in the World 2016 - United Arab Emirates, Freedom House, 20 June 2016, https://www.refworld.org/docid/576be00511.html
3
Federal Law No. 1 of 2004, Decree on Combating Terrorism Offences.
4
Federal Decree-Law no. (5) of 2012, on Combating Cybercrimes.
5
There is no freedom here: Silencing Dissent in the UAE, Amnesty International, Document No. 25/0186/2014, November 2014, p. 7-8.
6
The Human Freedom Index 2019, A Global Measurement of Personal, Civil, and Economic Freedom, p 11,
https://www.fraserinstitute.org/sites/default/files/human-freedom-index-2019-rev.pdf
3The European Parliament adopted a resolution in 2018 calling on the UAE authorities, inter alia:
● To prevent any further form of ill-treatment and to investigate torture allegations.
● To abide by its obligations and commitments under international human rights law, including the
UN Convention against Torture; and to ratify the International Covenant on Political and Civil
Rights and the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.
● To extend a standing invitation to visit the UAE to all Special Procedures of the UN Human
Rights Council.7
In its second section, this report tackles the various aspects of torture in the UAE, including an overview
of the legal framework, which encompasses the constitution, federal laws and international agreements,
together with an analysis of these aspects and the manner in which the UAE authorities handled them.
The third section contains a background on torture practices and cruel or inhuman treatment, followed by
information on the situation in prisons, pertaining to current and former detainees and women detainees.
Section four discusses the UAE's approach in addressing torture grievances, and failure to adquately
investigate claims. The report concludes with a number of important recommendations.
The report captures information from original sources when possible, and conceals the names of some
persons to protect their safety and that of and their relatives. The report also references reports from a
number of international human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights
Watch and the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR), as well as reliable media platforms that reported
torture incidents.
This report was written and researched by Wejha Centre for Studies in cooperation with the Gulf Centre
for Human Rights (GCHR) through a project funded by the European Union to address torture and
accountability in the Gulf region.
II. The Legal Framework
Federal Legislation and International Conventions
● The Constitution
“No person shall be subjected to torture or to degrading treatment,” and “Physical and moral abuse of an
accused person is prohibited;” according to section III of the UAE constitution, titled “Freedoms, Rights
and Public Duties”. Article 26 states that “Personal liberty is guaranteed to all citizens. No person may be
arrested, searched, detained or imprisoned except in accordance with the provisions of law.” Article 28
states that “Penalty is personal. An accused shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty.”8
● The Federal Penal Code
The Federal Constitution supersedes all federal laws, including the Penal Code,9 which encompasses
articles that condemned torture under Title II pertaining to crimes related to public office, Chapter II, on
the abuse of office and of power, including:
7
European Parliament resolution on United Arab Emirates, notably the situation of human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor (2018/2862(RSP)),
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/B-8-2018-0456_EN.html
8
Constitution of the United Arab Emirates, https://www.wipo.int/edocs/lexdocs/laws/en/ae/ae030en.pdf
9
The Federal Penal Code, http://www.undp-aciac.org/publications/ac/compendium/uae/criminalization-lawenforcement/criminal-87-ar.pdf
4o Article 242: “Shall be sentenced to term imprisonment, every public servant using, in person
or through others, torture, force or threat with the accused, a witness or an expert in order to
have him confess a crime, make a statement or give information concerning it to withhold
any relevant matter.”
o Article 245 “Shall be sentenced to detention for a minimum term of one year and/or to a
minimum fine of ten thousands dirham, every public servant, or person in charge of a public
service, using force on a person, basing himself in the power granted to him by virtue of his
office, dishonoring or causing him bodily pain.”
Under Title III, Chapter I, on crimes obstructing justice, article 259 states “shall be sentenced to detention
for a term not exceeding one year and to a fine not in excess of five thousands Dirham, whoever uses
torture, force or threat, or offered a grant or privilege of any kind or a promise of any such things in order
to have someone else to keep silent about a matter or to give untrue statements or information before any
judicial body.”
● International Conventions
In December 1984, the UN General Assembly adopted the Convention Against Torture10 and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment. The UAE ratified the Convention 28 years later in 2012, per Federal
Decree no. 73 of 2012, while it has not yet ratified the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against
Torture.11
Legal Analysis
● Lack of Clarity in Definition
The UAE Constitution defines torture only as “Physical and moral abuse of an accused person.” Whereas
the Penal Code considers that torture which is punishable by the law is torture used to have the accused
confess a crime or withhold information, inflicted by a public servant abusing his office.
Nevertheless, the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or
Punishment defines torture as “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is
intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information
or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having
committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of
any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or
acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or
suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.”
This disparity between the two definitions demonstrates the inadequacy of the first definition and the
absence of key elements, such as the accountability of the perpetrators and investigation mechanisms. For
example, the Code does not consider as torture the violations occurring outside of this specific legal
classification, which perpetuates impunity for the perpetrators, participants and instigators of torture, and
guarantees their immunity from ever being held accountable for violating the victims’ dignity and their
bodily and moral integrity.
10
Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Adopted and opened for signature, ratification
and accession by General Assembly resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984, entry into force 26 June 1987, in accordance with article 27 (1).
11
United Nations Treaty Collection, https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-9&chapter=4&lang=en
5● Inadequate Definition and Legislations
The inadequacy in the definition of torture is also evident by the absence of important details that would
make available to victims of torture a mechanism that enables them to hold accountable the perpetrators
of torture, irrespective of the power or status they possess. Such provisions are supposed to ensure due
investigation in torture allegations, in a manner that would deter the holder of any office from abusing his
power. Several essential components that outline the principles on the prohibition of torture and ill-
treatment have been omitted by the legislators, including:
o An order from a superior officer or a public authority may not be invoked as a justification of
torture, according to Article 2 of the Convention Against Torture.
o The victim of an act of torture should obtain redress and has an enforceable right to fair and
adequate compensation, including the means for as full rehabilitation as possible. In the event
of the death of the victim as a result of an act of torture, his dependants shall be entitled to
compensation, in accordance with Article 14 of the Convention Against Torture.
o Any statement which is established to have been made as a result of torture shall not be
invoked as evidence in any proceedings, according to Article 15 of the Convention Against
Torture.
o Statute of limitations is not applicable to torture crimes.
The absence of these principles indicates the absence of an important law that ought to be in place to
protect victims of torture, whistle-blowers and witnesses, as well as offering all necessary guarantees and
security measures, including their relocation.
In addition, imprisonment per the definition of the UAE Penal Code12 is “the incarceration of [a] convict
in one of the penitentiaries legally allocated for this purpose, for life if the sentence is life imprisonment,
or for the period specified in the sentence in case of a temporary imprisonment. Unless the law provides
otherwise, the term of the temporary imprisonment may not be less than three years and not more than
fifteen years;” whereas the Penal Code indicates that the penalty of committing an act of torture is
detention for a term not exceeding one year, which could also be replaced by a fine. These penalties are
not severe enough to deter the perpetrators, especially when taking into account the authority that
perpetrators may have.
● Delayed Accession and Breach of Commitments
The UAE joined the Convention Against Torture on 19 July 2012 per Federal Decree no. 73 of 2012, 28
years after the adoption of the Convention in 1984, which is considered a belated accession. The
ratification, however, changed nothing in the country’s laws on torture and addressing allegations of
torture, and no new laws were enacted to ensure compliance with the Convention and honouring the
country’s commitments in this regard.
Furthermore, the UAE has not joined the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture, which
authorises the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture to investigate torture allegations. Another
reason is not to commit to establishing a national mechanism for the prevention of torture within one year
from the date of admission, per the Protocol’s requirements.
12
The UAE Penal Code, Article 68, https://cdn.expatwoman.com/s3fs-public/UAE%20Penal%20Code.pdf
6In accordance with article 28 of the Convention Against Torture, which stipulate that a state may enter a
reservation on article 20, the UAE entered a reservation on the said article, which outlines the competence
of the Committee against Torture, with regard to the Committee, should it receive well-founded
indications on practicing torture - shall invite the state party concerned to co-operate in the examination of
the information, which may involve a confidential inquiry, and, in agreement with that state party, such an
inquiry may include a visit to its territory.
Moreover, in accordance with article 30, paragraph 2 of the Convention, the UAE declared that it does not
consider itself bound by paragraph 1 of this article, which stipulates that any dispute shall be referred to
the International Court of Justice, if it could not be settled through negotiation or arbitration.
The UAE has also declared that the legal sanctions applicable in accordance with the national law, or the
pain or suffering arising from, associated with or incidental to these legal sanctions, do not constitute
“torture” as specified in article 1 of the Convention, not are they considered cruel, inhuman or degrading
treatment or punishment mentioned in the Convention. This is an affirmation of what is already
established by article 1 of the Convention, which clearly stipulated that the notion of torture does not
include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to lawful sanctions.
In addition to not joining the Optional Protocol, the UAE has not joined a number of other UN
conventions that guarantee rights pertaining broadly to human dignity and to the protection of prisoners in
particular. Despite most countries in the world having joined the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, the UAE has not signed or ratified it, noting that Article 7 of the Covenant prohibits
torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The UAE also did not accept the Body of Principles
for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, the sixth principle of
which states that “No person under any form of detention or imprisonment shall be subjected to torture or
to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. No circumstance whatever may be invoked as a
justification for torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”13
During the 2012 Universal Periodic Review, the UAE pledged before the Human Rights Council14 to
establish a national human rights institution in accordance with the Paris Principles,15 but it has not
honoured this commitment. To date, there is no human rights institution which operates independently
and works to ensure the protection of human rights. No entity was established to monitor human rights
violations, carry out inspection visits to detention centres where breaches and torture are likely to be
committed, nor are there systems in place for receiving and investigating torture complaints, holding the
perpetrators accountable and keeping track of victims’ complaints and the findings in their respective
cases with the competent authorities.
National human rights institutions that work in accordance with the principles relating to the Status of
National Institutions, known as The Paris Principles, usually play a crucial role in promoting and
monitoring the effective implementation of international human rights standards at the national level,
ensuring the treatment that protects the detainees' dignity and humanity, and preventing torture and ill-
treatment.
13
Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment. Adopted by General Assembly resolution
43/173 of 9 December 1988.
14
UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review : United Arab Emirates, 21 March 2013,
A/HRC/23/13, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/51b719c64.html
15
Principles relating to the Status of National Institutions (The Paris Principles). Adopted by General Assembly resolution 48/134 of 20
December 1993.
7III. Background on the Practice of Torture and Ill-Treatment
Since the 1990s, Amnesty International has documented allegations of torture by the UAE authorities.
One of these cases dates back to 1995,16 in which Sarah Balabagan received 100 lashes after she was
convicted of murdering her employer, whom she accused of raping her.
The judicial punishment by flogging violates article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
which states that “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment.” Since then, others have been subjected to forced disappearance and torture, including
Abdul-Mun'im Al-Ali, and Abdul Jalil Alwan in 1996;17 Salem Abdul Rahman Al-Baloushi in 2005, who
was extradited to the UAE by Saudi Arabia,18 and four others, including Hameed Salem Al-Ghawwas Al-
Zaabi, who was arrested in 2004 and remained in solitary confinement for 11 months, after which he was
admitted to the psychiatric unit.19 There is also the case of Abdullah Sultan Al-Sbeihat Al-Alili, who was
arbitrarily arrested, forcibly disappeared, sentenced following an unfair trial, then discharged in 2009. In
court, Al-Alili stated that he had been tortured by a State Security Service officer using the following
methods:
● Beatings with a thick one-inch in diameter plastic tube all over his body, especially the head and
legs.
● Caning on the back and sensitive body parts.
● Sleep deprivation for long hours.
● Threats of sexual assault.
● The use of offensive words and insults against him.
● Threatening to summon his family to the detention centre.
Despite these allegations, he was not examined by a forensic physician to document his injuries.
In 2008, Naji Hamdan, an American citizen of Lebanese origin, was arrested in the UAE by the security
services at an unknown location in a very cold room, where he was subjected to severe beating. The
authorities interrogated him for 89 days, sometimes for 13 consecutive hours while he was tied to an
electric chair. When he was not as responsive as expected with the interrogators, he was beaten on the
head until he lost consciousness. He was also threatened that his wife would be raped if he did not confess
to terrorist crimes. He was eventually forced to sign statements that condemned him of these crimes. He
explained that the extent of torture and threats to which he was subjected would have led him to confess
even a murder.20 The Federal Supreme Court sentenced him to 18 months in prison on terrorism-related
charges, and he was released after serving his term.21
16
UAE: Further Information on: Flogging: Sarah Balabagan, Amnesty International, 9 February 1996, Index number: MDE 25/003/1996,
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/003/1996/en/ , https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/176000/mde250071995en.pdf
17
United Arab Emirates: further information on: fear of torture / fear of refoulement and new medical concern: Sheikh 'Abd al-Mun'im al-'Ali,
26 January 1996, https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/001/1996/en/
18
Further Information on UAE, Incommunicado detention/Fear of torture or ill-treatment, Amnesty International, 6-7 June 2005,
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/001/2005/en/ , https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/88000/mde250012005en.pdf
19
Fear of torture or ill-treatment/ incommunicado detention/ health concern, Amnesty International, 23 August 2005
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/88000/mde250042005en.pdf
20
Trade as a Cover up for Torture.. This is how Abu Dhabi Gets Away with some of its Crimes, Ultra, 1 February 2018,
https://www.ultrasawt.com/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%BA%D8%B7%D8%A7%D8%A1-
%D9%84%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B0%D9%8A%D8%A8-%D9%87%D9%83%D8%B0%D8%A7-
%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1%D8%B1-%D8%A3%D8%A8%D9%88%D8%B8%D8%A8%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%B9%D8%B6-
%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%85%D9%87%D8%A7/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7-
%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%AA/%D8%AD%D9%82%D9%88%D9%82-
%D9%88%D8%AD%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%AA/%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9
21
UAE: Press Report on the Trial of Naji Hamdan, Alkarama, 13 October 2009, https://www.alkarama.org/en/node/22450
8In 2009, some foreign channels released reports about a video22 showing a very violent attack by a
member of the ruling family, Sheikh Issa Al Nahyan, on an Afghan victim named Mohammad Shah Pour,
who was being shot, and had sand put in his mouth, beaten up and salt was rubbed hard in his wounds.
The UAE authorities were compelled to investigate the case and prosecute Sheikh Issa Al-Nahyan after
the video become public, but he was acquitted by the Al-Ain court on the grounds that he was acting
under the influence of drugs given to him by his aides who wanted to film him in a compromising
position and then blackmail him. This incident illustrates the absence of a mechanism to ensure a fair trial
in relation to allegations of torture, where the victim's voice is not heard.23
In 2014, British national David Haigh, the former managing director of Leeds United Football Club,
travelled to Dubai to settle disputes with club owners who reside in Dubai. He was detained by a police
officer, and remained in Dubai prison for 23 months, where he was subjected to electric shocks, rape and
serious violations that led to him being hospitalised for seven months after his discharge to recover from
the assault. He stated that “His case and those of others, including Briton Ahmed Zidan, who is still in
custody in the UAE, have not been taken seriously because of trade priorities.”24
Arab Spring and the Escalation of Torture
Article 2 of the Convention against Torture states that “No exceptional circumstances whatsoever,
whether a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may
be invoked as a justification of torture.” However, there have been numerous reports documented by
human rights organisations covering the UAE concerning dissidents and human rights activists being
arrested and tortured as the Arab Spring popular movements in other countries unfolded, including those
accused in the “UAE 5” case, members of the “UAE 94” and other Arab and foreign individuals. In
addition, detainees were subjected to violations that undermined their fundamental rights, and were able
to secretly leak written messages that documented all forms of torture and humiliation which they
experienced.25
Detainees from the UAE
When the trial began of the 94 defendants, collectively known as the “UAE 94”, in 2013, a number of
defendants stated that they had been tortured by denailing, severe beatings, prolonged suspension, pulling
their beards and chest hair, and threatened with electric shocks, rape and murder. The judge responded by
ordering medical examinations of the complainants, but this never took place.26
22
Torture tape central to lawsuit against UAE sheikh, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go1znJu3Kho
23
Member of United Arab Emirates ruling family implicated in 'torture' video, Amnesty International, 1 May 2009,
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2009/05/miembro-familia-dirigente-emiratos-arabes-unidos-implicado-video-tortura-2009050/
24
Torture Complaint by A British Sports Official Against UAE officials, Arabi 21, 20 July 2017,
https://arabi21.com/story/1021986/%D8%B4%D9%83%D9%88%D9%89-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B0%D9%8A%D8%A8-
%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A4%D9%88%D9%84-%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B6%D9%8A-
%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%B7%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A-%D8%B6%D8%AF-
%D9%85%D8%B3%D8%A4%D9%88%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%86-
%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%8A%D9%8A%D9%86
25
There is no freedom here: Silencing Dissent in the UAE, Amnesty International, Document No. 25/0186/2014, November 2014, p. 29.
26
Ibid. p. 27.
9The most prominent among those torture victims was detained economist Ahmed Ghaith Al-Suwaidi,
who said that he had been tortured while in detention in order to force him to sign trumped up confessions
stating that the Al-Islah Association was plotting a coup to overthrow the government. This accusation
came to be the main element in the prosecution of the UAE 94, including well-known human rights
lawyers Dr. Mohammed Al-Roken and Dr. Mohammed Al-Mansoori, former judge Dr. Ahmed Al-Zaabi,
Saud Kleeb, Ahmed Rashid Al-Tabour27 and Mohammed Abdul Razzaq Al-Siddiq, whose daughter
reported that he has been subjected to severe beatings.28
In the final hearing of the UAE 94 on 2 July 2013, the Federal Supreme Court of Abu Dhabi sentenced 56
people, including Mohammed Al-Roken and Mohammed Al-Mansoori, to 10 years in prison. Eight others
were sentenced in absentia to fifteen years; and five defendants were sentenced to seven years. The court
acquitted 25 defendants, including all 13 women among the accused.29 Of those convicted, 20 detainees in
the case began a hunger strike on 31 July to protest the mistreatment they continued to be subjected to
after the trial. Among those on hunger strike was Dr Mohammed Al-Mansoori, whose shoulder was
dislocated in prison.30
In a report released in 2015, the Gulf Centre for Human Rights (GCHR) documented extensive torture
and abuse experienced by 56 of the UAE 94 detainees in prisons.31 This report is based on research,
including over 150 pages of documentation containing the statements of 56 detainees, obtained by GCHR
from sources in the UAE. It covers incidents that took place in 2012-2014. The documents included a
complaint “against the UAE Federal State Security for falsifying official documents and failing to
investigate crimes of torture and depriving detainees from their legal rights granted to them by UAE law.”
Detainees from Abroad
Torture was not limited to Emirati prisoners, but also included other from different countries. One case is
Qatari physician Mahmoud Al-Jaidah, who was arrested in 2013 and claimed to have been tortured by
beating on the face and feet, sleep deprivation, being exposed to bright light, having him drink an
unknown liquid that he feared is a harmful substance. Furthermore, he was threatened with denailing and
being suspended in an inverted position till he dies.32
Another case is that of Musab Abdel-Aziz, an Egyptian national who was arrested in 2014 and sentenced
to three years in prison, then deported to Egypt in 2017. In a leaked letter, Abdel-Aziz stated that he had
been subjected to brutal torture, and indicated that he suffered “permanent damage” to his ears as a result
of torture, but did not provide further details.33 In addition, Libyan citizens Salim Al-Aradi, Mohamed Al-
Aradi and Kamal Al-Darat, who were arrested in 2014, alleged having been tortured by beatings,
waterboarding, exposing to extremely low temperatures, forcing them to remain standing for days in a
row, and being threatened with rape. British citizens who were arrested in 2013 for
possession of cannabis were tortured by electric shocks and beatings, and others were threatened with
rape and were stripped naked.34
27
Ibid. p. 27 – 30.
28
Twitter account of Alaa Alsiddiq, https://twitter.com/alaa_q/status/1271364662399991808?s=20
29
United Arab Emirates: UAE 94 trial violates the basic rights to fair trial and due process, Gulf Centre for Human Rights, 27 August 2013,
https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/477
30
Ibid
31
Torture and Abuse in Prisons in the United Arab Emirates, Gulf Centre for Human Rights, 12 March 2015,
https://www.gc4hr.org/report/view/33
32
Interview with Dr. Mahmoud Al-Jaidah, former detainee in UAE prisons, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JliYvF0hLFs&t=553s
33
UAE: Egyptian Detainee Alleges 'Brutal' Torture, Human Rights Watch, 20 February 2016, https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/02/21/uae-
egyptian-detainee-alleges-brutal-torture
34
Torture of women in UAE prisons, International Centre for Justice and Human Rights, 26 June 2018,
http://icjhr.org/ar/%d8%aa%d9%82%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%b1-%d8%aa%d8%b9%d8%b0%d9%8a%d8%a8-
10Torture in Recent Years (2017-2020)
The past three years since the beginning of 2017 witnessed reports and testimonies35 indicating that the
UAE authorities continue to practice torture, as former and current detainees were subjected to various
forms of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in the country’s notorious prisons, including
Al-Razeen prison, Al-Wathba prison and Al-Sadr prison. In addition, some prisons such as Al-Awair
prison and Al-Barsha police detention centre are overcrowded and unsanitary, which makes observing
social distancing and the recommended hygiene practices extremely difficult, against the backdrop of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the authorities do not provide information to the prisoners and their
families about possible outbreaks or precautionary measures.
This report outlines the cases of some detainees who have been subjected to torture and inhuman
treatment in prison, and who managed to have their voices heard. These detainees personify courage, as
the authorities attempt to suppress even expressions of pain, and threaten anyone who has been subjected
to torture with further prosecution if they talk about their experience.
Ahmed Mansoor
Ahmed Mansoor, the country’s most prominent human rights defender, is an engineer, poet and father of
four in his early 50s, and the recipient of the 2015 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders.36
He studied in the UAE and at the University of Colorado, Department of Electrical Engineering, where he
pursued his undergraduate and master's degrees, specialising in communications engineering. He is a
member of the Human Rights Watch Middle East and North Africa Division advisory committee, and the
GCHR Advisory Board
Mansoor was first arrested in 2011 in the “UAE 5” case and was convicted of insulting and offending
UAE officials via the UAE Dialogue Forum (Al-Hiwar), which he administered and used to post articles
that were critical of the UAE authorities’ policies and prominent figures. The authorities considered these
opinions “a conspiracy targeting state security”, and that they constituted “inciting others to break the
law, boycott elections and demonstrate against the government”. He was sentenced to three years'
imprisonment, of which he served eight months, and was released by an amnesty, but his passport was
confiscated afterwards, and he was prevented from travelling. All Mansoor did was express his opinion,
while the authorities considered that a crime against state security. After having been pardoned, Mansoor
received a public death threat, and suffered two physical assaults, a suspicious theft of his car, and the
mysterious disappearance of personal savings amounting to thousands of US dollars from his bank
account. Despite all that, he continued his activism.
Mansoor defended many detainees of opinion in the “UAE 94” case as well as others, including Osama
Al-Najjar, the son of one of the detainees. He talked about the case of Dr. Nasser Bin Ghaith through
various media outlets, most notably his personal account on Twitter.37 He worked to connect detainees in
UAE prisons with human rights organisations that could shed light on their suffering.
%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%85%d8%b1%d8%a3%d8%a9-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%b3%d8%ac%d9%88%d9%86-
%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a7%d9%85%d8%a7%d8%b1%d8%a7%d8%aa/
35
It is difficult to reveal the identities of the sources or give details about what they have been subjected to, given the risk to the detainee and
people close to him should the source of information be identified by the authorities.
36
Ahmed Mansoor 2015 Laureate, Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, https://www.martinennalsaward.org/hrd/ahmed-
mansoor/
37
Ahmed Mansoor Twitter account, https://twitter.com/Ahmed_Mansoor
11Mansoor was dubbed “the Million Dollar Dissident” by Citizen Lab, an organisation focusing on
research, development, policy and communication technologies, at their intersection of information and
human rights and global security, based in Toronto.38 This nickname is related to an attempted hack of his
phone via text messages sent to his phone with a link to information about detainees in the UAE. His
mobile would have been hacked if he clicked on the link, allowing control of the phone, remotely
accessing the device's camera, in addition to tracking location. This spyware was developed by
an Israeli cybertechnology firm, and the cost for Apple to fix the bug that allowed the hack was estimated
at one million dollars.
On the night of 20 March 2017, UAE security forces arrested Mansoor and held him for over a year. He
was unable to contact a lawyer, and only limited family visits were allowed. After 14 months, in May
2018, Mansoor was sentenced following a closed trial to 10 years imprisonment for cybercrime and
posting false information defaming the UAE and its foreign policy. He was also convicted of inciting
sedition, anarchy, sectarianism and hatred via Facebook and Twitter.39 In addition to the prison sentence,
he was fined 1 million UAE dirhams, as well as being subjected to three years’ probation after his
release.40
On 31 December 2018, the Federal Supreme Court, the high-instance court in the country for cases
pertaining to state security, upheld the previous ruling in Mansoor’s case, which eliminated all his
chances of early release.41 Many human rights activists, including friends of Mansoor, consider the
actions for which he stood trial as natural rights, but the authorities consider expressing one’s opinions a
cybercrime which harms state security, and therefore warrants an excessive fine and a prolonged
imprisonment sentence.
Since his arrest almost four years ago, Mansoor has been held in solitary confinement, in a cell that
measures 2 x 2 metres, within the isolation ward of Al-Sadr Prison in Abu Dhabi. Mansoor sleeps on the
floor with no bed or mattress, and is deprived of any means to pass time during his long days. He has no
books or television. He was not allowed to leave his cell or even go to the canteen except for a few family
visits, and was only once allowed outside in the prison's exercise yard during the first two years of his
imprisonment.
Mansoor began a month-long hunger strike in March 201942 to protest his unjust conviction and detention
conditions. In addition to the aforementioned, he was unable to access running water and was not allowed
to leave his cell to shower. As a result, his physical and mental state deteriorated considerably, and
rendered him too weak to walk unaided. His eyesight also deteriorated and he has high blood pressure.
His overall health remains fragile, and, with the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in Emirati prisons in
2020, he would be at high risk should he be infected.43
38
The Million Dollar Dissident, the Citizen Lab, 24 August 2016, https://citizenlab.ca/2016/08/million-dollar-dissident-iphone-zero-day-nso-
group-uae/
39
Open letter to the Emirati authorities to free human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor on his 50th Birthday, Gulf Centre for Human RIghts, 16
October 2019, https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2229
40
Emirati Ahmed Mansoor fails to overturn 10-year jail term for insulting UAE and its leaders, the National News, 31 December 2018,
https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/emirati-ahmed-mansoor-fails-to-overturn-10-year-jail-term-for-insulting-uae-and-its-leaders-
1.808045
41
Open letter to the Emirati authorities to free human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor on his 50th Birthday, Gulf Centre for Human RIghts, 16
October 2019, https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2229
42
United Arab Emirates: Ahmed Mansoor remains on hunger strike in poor conditions as eyesight deteriorate, Gulf Centre for Human Rights, 24
April 2019, https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2115
43
Release Leading Emirati Human Rights Defender Ahmed Mansoor, Convicted Two Years Ago, International Campaign for Freedom in the
United Arab Emirates (ICFUAE), 29 May 2020, http://icfuae.org.uk/press-releases/release-leading-emirati-human-rights-defender-ahmed-
mansoor-convicted-two-years-ago
12In May 2019, seven UN experts issued a statement44 urging the UAE authorities to provide Mansoor with
medical treatment and improve the conditions of his detention. The statement also called on the
authorities to ensure his retrial. The statement noted that “prolonged periods of solitary confinement may
amount to torture,” and stated that the conditions of his detention “violate basic international human rights
standards and risk taking an irrevocable toll on his health.”
Following his first hunger strike, authorities allowed Mansoor to contact his ill mother, whom he had not
seen since his arrest. He was also allowed to go outside in the sun. Mansoor ended his hunger strike, and
was told that he will be getting a bed, but to this day he still has no bed or mattress. Therefore, he began a
new strike on 7 September 2019 after being severely beaten, and not getting what he was promised. This
strike caused him serious health problems45 as he only consumed juice and mineral water.
In early 2020, family visits were cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.46
In October 2019, 140 government organisations appealed to the UAE authorities for the release of Ahmed
Mansoor.47 The cruel and inhuman treatment that Ahmed Mansoor was subjected to in prison, as well as
corporal torture, constitute violations of the Convention Against Torture ratified by the UAE, and warrant
an investigation to ensure his safety.
Artur Ligęska
Artur Ligęska is a Polish businessman arrested in April 2018 on drug charges, despite a complete lack of
evidence. Ligęska claims that a dispute with a member of the ruling family in Abu Dhabi was the real
reason for his arrest. Ligęska remained in pre-trial detention for five months at Dubai Central Prison.
After that, he was sentenced to life in prison without parole, and served eight months in prison, before the
Polish authorities were able to secure his release in May 2019. He returned to Poland and tried to rebuild
his life.
Although free now, Ligęska remains scarred by his traumatic experience, and sees a specialist to deal with
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which he attributes to the brutality he was subjected to in prison,
including having been raped by prison guards, for which he required surgery. An interview was released
by Human Rights Watch in January 2020 in which he spoke about having met Ahmed Mansoor, and
confirmed the allegations of torture and the inhuman conditions at Al-Sadr Prison. Ligęska and Mansoor
have both been subjected to abuse, and Ligęska wants the authorities to open an investigation into these
events, but is unwilling to risk a return to the UAE to do so.48
44
UAE: UN Experts Condemn Conditions of Detention for Jailed Activist Ahmed Mansoor, 7 May 2019,
https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24571&LangID=E#:~:text=GENEVA%20(07%20May%202019)%2
0%E2%80%93,solitary%20confinement%2C%20may%20constitute%20torture.
45
United Arab Emirates: Ahmed Mansoor remains at imminent risk following repeated hunger strikes in isolation cell, Gulf Centre for Human
Rights, 16 December 2019, https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2281
46
United Arab Emirates: Ahmed Mansoor denied contact with his family, remains in prison in unsanitary conditions, Gulf Centre for Human
Rights, 6 June 2020, https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2408
47
United Arab Emirates: Open letter to the Emirati authorities to free human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor on his 50th Birthday, Gulf Centre
for Human Rights, 16 October 2019, https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2229
48
Artur and Ahmed: Prison Mates in UAE Hell, Human Rights Watch, 8 January 2020, https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/01/08/artur-and-ahmed-
prison-mates-uae-hell
13Dr. Nasser Bin Ghaith
Dr. Nasser Bin Ghaith is a prominent academic, economist and lecturer at the Sorbonne-Paris University
in Abu Dhabi. Following his first arrest, together with Ahmed Mansoor in the 2011 UAE 5 case,49 he
wrote a letter, which was subsequently leaked, in which he explained the legal flaws that violated his right
to a fair trial. The letter demanded that the court put an end to the secret trial, and order the release of the
detained activists on bail. Following the publication of the letter, Dr. Bin Ghaith complained that prison
authorities had encouraged other inmates to harass him, and after getting into a fight with another
prisoner, he was tied up and held in a solitary cell without air conditioning at 40°C. He was later released
following an amnesty for the UAE 5.50
However, Dr. Bin Ghaith was arrested again in August 2015 and held incommunicado. The first court
hearing was held in April 2016, and the trial was marred by many violations of his fundamental rights,
including that the trial took place following nine months of solitary confinement, during which his
whereabouts were unknown. Moreover, he informed the court that he had been tortured, beaten and
deprived of sleep for up to one week; but instead of ordering an independent investigation into those
allegations, the judge turned off the microphone Dr. Bin Ghaith was using and prevented him from
speaking.51
Neither Dr. Bin Ghaith nor his family were informed of the reason for his arrest. He was not allowed to
consult a lawyer, and was not made aware of the charges against him until the second hearing in May
2016. The charges against him violate his right to freedom of expression. Furthermore, the trial by the
State Security Division of the Federal Supreme Court violated fair trial standards, since its orders are non-
appealable.52
Among the charges against Dr. Bin Ghaith were committing a hostile act against a foreign country, in
relation to him having criticised the mass killing of demonstrators in Rabaa Square in Egypt via his
Twitter account. He also faced charges of disseminating information aimed at harming the UAE by
claiming that he was tortured and treated unfairly during the previous judicial proceedings of the UAE 5
case in which he and five other men were convicted of publicly insulting UAE officials. Another charge
was endangering state security and the country's interests because of tweets in which he, as reported by
local media outlets, “made statements mocking The UAE government’s decision to allocate a plot of land
for the construction of a Hindu temple.” The fourth and fifth charges revolved around his association with
the Umma Party and Al-Islah Association, both classified by the UAE authorities as terrorist
organisations. These latter charges were denied by Dr. Bin Ghaith’s family in a statement on Twitter.
In March 2017, Dr. Bin Ghaith was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment, after he was convicted of
several charges, including “insulting the UAE”, in relation to comments he had posted on Twitter about
the treatment he was subjected to during his previous trial. He was also convicted of “communicating and
collaborating with members of the banned Al-Islah Association”. During his trial, the UAE authorities
restricted his access to his lawyer, which prevented adequate preparation of a defence.53 After the verdict
was announced, Dr. Bin Ghaith wrote a letter in which he said “I feel really sad for having been unfairly
tried by my own people in my country, which is proclaimed to be the land of tolerance and happiness.”
49
‘UAE FIVE’ Pardoned by President, Amnesty International, 14 December 2011,
https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/32000/mde250112011en.pdf
50
United Arab Emirates: Prominent Academic Arrested, Risks Torture: Dr Nasser Bin Ghaith, Amnesty International, 19 August 2015,
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/2299/2015/en/
51
United Arab Emirates: Stop Paying Lip Service to Human Rights and Release Dr Nasser Bin Ghaith, Amnesty International, 28 March 2017,
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/mde25/5968/2017/en/
52
The Static and the Dynamic 2017: The Gulf Region and Economic Reform in the Time of the Oil Crisis, Gulf Centre for Development
Policies, https://gulfpolicies.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2294&catid=9
53
UAE: Fears Grow for Health of Unjustly Imprisoned Academic, Amnesty International, 20 December 2018,
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/12/uae-fears-grow-for-health-of-unjustly-imprisoned-academic/
14He also announced that he would “begin an open-ended hunger strike,” and that he was forced to take this
decision “as I have no choice but to fight the battle of empty intestines to restore my freedom, which my
own people have regretfully taken away from me.”54
Dr. Bin Ghaith went on three hunger strikes starting in April 2017, the first of which lasted about two
months. He began a second hunger strike on 25 February 2018 protesting his sentence. The third strike
began in November 2018,55 during which Dr. Bin Ghaith only ate very small quantities of food, and his
health deteriorated dramatically as a result. Dr. Bin Ghaith began this hunger strike to protest the ill-
treatment of the detainees by prison authorities, including denying them access to medical care and
regular family visits. Prior to his arrest, he suffered from high blood pressure and early stage fatty liver
disease. According to reliable information, Dr. Bin Ghaith lost much of his eyesight, and became too
weak to stand up and walk unaided as a result of his repeated hunger strikes.56 He put an end to the strike
after he was warned that family visits would be forbidden, after news of his hunger strike reached world
media and human rights organisations.
Despite the detention condition which violate the Convention Against Torture, the inhuman treatment that
Dr. Bin Ghaith faced in Al-Razeen prison, and his repeated hunger strikes, the authorities’ only response
was to threaten him with beating, death and denial of health care.
Alia Abdel-Noor
Alia Abdel-Noor, a 42-year-old Emirati national was arrested after she made donations to Syrian families
in 2011, at the beginning of the Syrian revolution.
On 28 July 2015, state security forces arrested her from her family's home in Ajman, and took her to a
secret prison. She was held in a cold cell without windows, lighting or ventilation. She was not given a
mattress or blanket for 15 days, remained blindfolded, deprived of sleep, prevented from praying, and was
only allowed to use the toilet at specified times.
She remained in solitary confinement for four months, and experienced the recurrence of breast cancer
one month after her arrest. During this period, she was unable to contact her family. Although she was
diagnosed with cancer, she was interrogated, handcuffed and blindfolded, in addition to being threatened
with suspension by her feet, beatings and that her parents and sister would be harmed.
In November 2015, she was forced to sign confessions which she was unable to read since she was
blindfolded at the time. She was then transferred to Al-Wathba prison to spend 11 months in pre-trial
detention. After being held in a small, crowded and filthy cell, her illness worsened, and she went on
several hunger strikes in protest to these conditions.57
Abdel-Noor and her family were not informed of the reason for her arrest. She was unable to
communicate with a lawyer or with family members except through restricted phone calls. On 5
September 2016, a year after her arrest, she was informed for the first time by the State Security
Prosecutor of the charges against her; which included “financing terrorist groups, managing websites and
disseminating news about Al-Qaeda and information harmful to the state.”58
54
Nasser Bin Ghaith Declares Hunger Strike in a Letter Sent from His Prison Cell, ICFUAE, 17 April 2017, http://icfuae.org.uk/news/nasser-
bin-ghaith-declares-hunger-strike-letter-sent-his-prison-cell
55
United Arab Emirates: Health of Dr. Nasser Bin Ghaith Failing Following Prolonged Hunger Strike, Gulf Centre for Human Rights, 9 January
2019, https://www.gc4hr.org/news/view/2031
56
Hunger-striking Academic in Critical Condition, Amnesty International, 18 May 2020, https://www.amnesty.org.uk/resources/urgent-action-
update-hunger-striking-academic-critical-condition
57
UAE: Cancer-Stricken Prisoner Ill-Treated, Human Rights Watch, 26 February 2019, https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/02/26/uae-cancer-
stricken-prisoner-ill-treated
58
Ibid.
15During the trial held on 18 January 2017, her confession statement was presented as evidence, together
with a record of her browsing history. Due to insufficient evidence and the forced confessions, her lawyer
called for the charges against her to be dropped. Nevertheless, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison,
which was upheld by the Federal Supreme Court on 15 May 2017.
Medical reports confirmed the deterioration of her health condition and documented extreme weight loss
and severe malnutrition, after she was transferred in November 2016 to Mafraq Hospital in Abu Dhabi.59
The authorities also claimed that she refused chemotherapy although she needed it. Her family denied
such claims, as she informed them that she had been forced again to sign a document in which she stated
that she had refused treatment.
On 10 January 2018, Abdel-Noor was transferred to Tawam Hospital for palliative care after her
condition worsened. On 21 January, family members said that they were able to visit her at hospital, and
that she was chained to the bed and heavily guarded. When they asked prison guards to remove the chains
to give her some relief, they responded by saying that the chains would remain till her death.
Physicians had explained to Abdel-Noor's family that her days were numbered, the family made appeals
for her compassionate release by contacting the Ministry of Interior, the Public Prosecutor, and the crown
prince. Compassionate release is permitted under Emirati law when a prisoner is at the final stage of a
terminal illness. The request was nevertheless denied.
Abdel-Noor died chained to a hospital bed on 4 May 2019, after the UAE authorities disregarded the
repeated appeals made by UN human rights experts for her release so that she could spend her final days
in dignity. The UN Human Rights Office called for a comprehensive and credible investigation into the
circumstances of her death and into allegations of her having been subjected to torture and ill-treatment.
The UN HR Office also demanded that all suspected perpetrators be held accountable.60 In addition, thirty
UK Parliamentarians called on the UAE authorities to open an independent investigation into Abdel-
Noor’s case to establish whether she was treated in line with internationally agreed standards and, if
appropriate, to initiate the prosecution of those responsible for any human rights violations that may have
occurred.61
One of the women inmates62 in Al-Wathba prison leaked a recorded voice message in which she spoke of
the circumstances surrounding Abdel-Noor’s death and what she went through. She said “I will never
forget how Alia, gaunt and weak, with chained hands and feet, walked heavily for long distances without
a wheelchair. I will never forget the policewoman ordering tightening Alia’s handcuffs as much as
possible... I will never forget Alia appearing at court when she could barely stand or talk.”63
59
Alya Abdulnoor dies in detention at UAE hospital after being denied adequate medical treatment since 2015 arrest, MENA Rights Group, 10
May 2019, https://menarights.org/en/caseprofile/alya-abdulnoor-arbitrarily-detained-uae-hospital-and-denied-adequate-medical-treatment
60
UN Human Rights Office Calls on UAE to Investigate the Circumstances of Alia Abdel Nour's Death, 7 May 2019,
https://news.un.org/ar/story/2019/05/1032511
61
Alia Abdel-Noor Case: UK Parliamentarians Call on UAE to Investigate her Death in Prison, BBC News, 29 July 2019,
https://www.bbc.com/arabic/middleeast-49152693
62
Testimony of Amina Al-Abdouli, We Record Twitter account, https://twitter.com/WeRecordAR/status/1257286218355806209?s=20
63
This is How Emirati Detainee Alia Abdel Noor was Tortured Before She Died, Arabi 21, 4 May 2020,
https://arabi21.com/story/1267526/%D9%87%D9%83%D8%B0%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D9%85-
%D8%AA%D8%B9%D8%B0%D9%8A%D8%A8-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%AA%D9%82%D9%84%D8%A9-
%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A5%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%8A%D8%A9-
%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%B9%D8%A8%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D9%88%D8%B1-
%D9%82%D8%A8%D9%84-%D9%88%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7
16The day after Abdel-Noor's death, the UAE authorities released a statement64 which said that she died of
breast cancer, which she had been suffering from since 2008. The spokesperson for the Public
Prosecutor's office, Ahmed Abdullah al-Hammadi, the head of the Public Prosecutor's office, stated that
the information currently being circulated on suspicious, malicious and anti-state accounts is incorrect
information, and that Abdel-Noor received all the health care necessary to her condition which the
country provides to all its nationals and residents. To date, no thorough inquiry was opened into the
circumstances of her case and what she has been subjected to.
Amina Al-Abdouli
Amina Mohammed Ahmed Saeed Al-Abdouli65 is a 37-year-old Emirati teacher and mother of five. On
19 November 2015, she was arrested from her home, then she was held at an undisclosed location, where
she was subjected to torture and ill-treatment, including removing her clothing, beating and blindfolding
her, in addition to sleep deprivation. Moreover, her sister Moza and her brother Musab were also arrested,
and on 29 November 2015, her brother Waleed was arrested for speaking out against the detention of his
siblings.66
Al-Abdouli remained in custody at a secret prison for seven and a half months, where she was held
incommunicado in a small cell with no windows. During interrogations she was subjected to beating and
insults, in addition to threats against her family. On 9 February 2016, under threat of further beatings, Al-
Abdouli signed documents without knowledge of their contents. She was not allowed to communicate
with a lawyer either.67
Al-Abdouli's health deteriorated to the point of losing sight in her left eye due to repeated beating during
the first three months of her detention. While she was in custody at a secret detention facility, she went on
several hunger strikes to protest ill-treatment. Her trial began on 27 June 2016. On 30 June 2016, she was
transferred to the notorious Al-Wathba prison. The forced confessions she had made under duress were
used as evidence. She was then informed of the charges against her, in accordance with the Cybercrime
Act, including “inciting hatred against the State and disturbing public order, undermining the reputation
of state institutions, and spreading false information that jeopardises the state’s relations with its allies”.
These accusations relate to comments which she allegedly made on Twitter concerning her father’s death
in Syria in 2013. On 31 October 2016, she was sentenced to five years in prison, and fined 500,000
dirhams. The verdict was final and cannot be appealed.68
Since her transfer to Al-Wathba prison, Al-Abdouli has been subjected to poor conditions and degrading
treatment by other inmates, and the prison administration has not investigated these incidents, nor did it
ensure her safety in custody. On 12 February 2019, UN representatives made an urgent appeal to the UAE
authorities concerning the arrest and detention conditions of Al-Abdouli.69
64
The Federal Prosecutor's Office: Alia Abdel-Noor Died of Cancer while Receiving Treatment at Hospital, Albayan, 5 May 2019,
https://www.albayan.ae/across-the-uae/news-and-reports/2019-05-05-1.3552865
65
UAE: Activist Amina Al-Abdouli Scheduled to Be Released in Coming Days, Emirates Centre for Human Rights, 11 November 2020,
http://echr.org.uk/en/news/uae-activist-amina-al-abdouli-scheduled-be-released-coming-days
66
Amina Al-Abdouli, Detained by Emirati Authorities since 2015, MENA Rights Group, 15 May 2020,
https://menarights.org/en/caseprofile/amina-al-abdouli-detained-emirati-authorities-2015
67
UAE: Activist Amina Al-Abdouli Scheduled to Be Released in Coming Days, Emirates Centre for Human Rights, 11 November 2020,
http://echr.org.uk/en/news/uae-activist-amina-al-abdouli-scheduled-be-released-coming-days
68
Amina Al-Abdouli, Detained by Emirati Authorities since 2015, MENA Rights Group, 15 May 2020,
https://menarights.org/en/caseprofile/amina-al-abdouli-detained-emirati-authorities-2015
69
Letter to the UAE authorities by the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health; the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering
terrorism; and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 12 February 2019,
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=24341
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