The Dark Reality of Torture in UAE Prisons: Sexual Abuse and Electric Shock Methods
A human rights center has highlighted the horrors of torture in Emirati prisons against prisoners of conscience and peaceful dissenters, including sexual assaults, electric shocks, beatings, humiliation, sleep deprivation, and medical neglect.
The Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center (EDAC) confirmed that torture is a defining characteristic of Emirati prisons, with international human rights organizations continuing to receive distress calls from political detainees describing the torture and cruel treatment they endure at the hands of UAE authorities.
According to the center, the methods of torture vary, incorporating both psychological and physical techniques that resemble those used in some of the world’s most notorious prisons.
The following are some of the most documented torture methods by international organizations and the Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center (EDAC):
Temperature Control: Extreme temperatures are used as a weapon to torture detainees. Prisoners are kept in solitary confinement in freezing temperatures, where they are forced to stand under air conditioners for long hours without covers, causing severe physical pain. Prison guards also exploit the desert’s heat by shutting off air conditioning in cells, especially in Al-Razeen prison, leading to suffocation and discomfort. This treatment was documented by detainee Amina Al-Abdouli, who reported that the officer turned off the air conditioning in the car she was being transported in, leading to suffocation.
Sleep Deprivation: Sleep deprivation is one of the most common torture methods, used intensively in Emirati prisons to mentally and physically exhaust detainees. Prisoners are forced to stay awake for days, with loud noises and bright lights on all the time, leading to extreme fatigue. Libyan businessman Rifat Hadaqa mentioned that guards prevented him from sleeping for over three days and took away his mattress. If he tried to sleep on the floor, they threatened and stopped him.
Bright Lighting and Loud }ommercial Music: Audio and visual torture are systematically used to prevent detainees from sleeping and create continuous discomfort. In Al-Razeen prison, loud propaganda music is played 24/7, causing severe psychological stress to the detainees. Dr. Mohammed Al-Rakn reported that the loud music caused him to faint and raised his blood pressure due to the distress.
Forced Standing for Long Periods: Forced standing for long periods is a form of torture that leads to chronic pain in the legs and back and causes long-term circulation problems. Many detainees, like Ibrahim Al-Marzouqi, were forced to stand for hours, and if they tried to sit, they were brutally beaten.
Long Interrogations and Targeted Beatings: Specific areas of the body are targeted for beating to cause the maximum amount of pain. Cases like Amina Al-Abdouli’s, who was subjected to continuous beatings on her face, leading to impaired vision and damaged teeth, have been documented. Long interrogations are also used to exhaust detainees, as reported by detainee Khalifa Al-Nuaimi, who was interrogated multiple times a day, leading to physical and mental exhaustion.
Psychological Torture and Threats of Death: Detainees are subjected to severe psychological pressure, ranging from threats of deportation and revocation of residency to threats of execution. In one instance, a female officer told Amina Al-Abdouli during treatment that they could “put poison in the treatment,” creating a sense of extreme fear.
Electric Shocks: Electric shock torture is one of the most painful and terrifying forms of abuse. Many detainees, such as Palestinian refugee Khaled Ahmed, have documented repeated electric shocks during interrogations. Libyan businessman Rifat Hadaqa reported the presence of electric chairs in interrogation rooms, sometimes used as a threat, and in other cases, for actual torture.
Sexual Assaults: Sexual assault and threats of sexual violence are used as methods of humiliation to break the mental strength of detainees. Some detainees of European nationalities, like Polish citizen Tor Ligeska, were raped by guards, while British businessman David Haig reported being harassed and gang-raped by a group of guards.
Nail Extraction: Nail extraction is an ancient and extremely cruel form of torture that has been documented by detainees, such as Dr. Ahmed Al-Zaabi, who testified to this type of abuse before the public prosecutor.
Beatings and Humiliation: Direct beatings remain a primary torture method, with prisoners being struck using harsh tools like water pipes, as reported by detainee Ibrahim Al-Marzouqi. In addition, authorities deliberately humiliate prisoners to force them into mental breakdowns, such as making them drink water from their shoes, as happened with Libyan businessman Rifat Hadaqa.
These varied methods aim to force detainees to confess to crimes they did not commit, break their will, and destroy them both mentally and physically, according to the Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center, which continues to document these violations to expose the systematic torture practices in UAE prisons and work to protect human rights.
