Rights Group: Revocation of nationalities against UAE’s opponents repressive
The International Center for Justice and Human Rights said that the UAE’s policy of withdrawing citizenship from its opponents bears an oppressive character that reflects the authoritarian regime that rules the country.
December 4 marks the tenth anniversary of the arbitrary action taken by the UAE authorities against seven Emirate activists in 2011 by withdrawing their citizenship and leaving them without identity.
The judiciary did not do justice to the Emirati citizens at that time, as an Emirati court rejected a lawsuit filed by the seven activists. The Abu Dhabi Federal Court of First Instance ruled that “it is not permissible to appeal the lawsuit of the seven people against the UAE Ministry of Interior and to obligate the plaintiffs to pay.”
The Geneva-based International Center for Justice and Human Rights considered that the decision to withdraw citizenship was arbitrary after a group of Emiratis demanded a federal council, an elected parliament with full powers.
This demand was transformed into a reform petition signed by dozens of Emirati intellectuals in March 2011, known as the “Reform Petition”, submitted to the Head of State.
The withdrawal of citizenship from the seven citizens was a message of intimidation and silencing of those demanding reforms and freedom.
In their statement issued on December 20, 2011, the activists calling for reform described the decision to withdraw their nationalities as: “an unjust, illegal measure, in violation of original human rights, the state constitution, and the laws issued in it.” The seven citizens are:
Professor Muhammad Abdul-Razzaq Al-Siddiq (Member of the International Union of Muslim Scholars)
Dr Ali Hussein Al Hammadi (Head of the Creative Thinking Center)
Dr Shaheen Abdullah Al Hosani (Library and Information Expert)
Mr Hussein Munif Al-Jabri (the academic educational expert)
Mr Hassan Munif Al-Jabri (founder and expert in charitable work)
Mr Ibrahim Hassan Al-Marzouki (educational professor and teacher)
This retaliatory measure contradicts Article 15 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “everyone has the right to a nationality. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality or denied the right to change it.”
The measure is also inconsistent with Article 2 of the Declaration, which reaffirms that every person should enjoy the freedom of expression. It stipulates that every person shall enjoy their rights as contained in this Declaration without discrimination based on race, colour, sex, language, religion, political orientation or any other reason.
The Center believes that building a prosperous country at the local or international level begins with respecting citizens right to exist and practice their fundamental rights.
The Center also confirmed that revoking the seven citizens nationalities is unfair, cruel and unlawful by all means.
Coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the withdrawal of citizenship from the seven Emirati citizens who are still languishing in Emirati prisons, the Center renewed its call on the UAE authorities to reverse this arbitrary measure and restore full legal consideration to them.
