Emirates Rulers’ Humanity Slogans Proven Wrong by Violations
The United Arab Emirates rulers claim humanitarian initiatives regarding foreign expatriates residing in the country from time to time, which according to human rights activists is mere propaganda slogans.
The human rights activist, Mohammed bin Saqr, pointed out that the ruler of Dubai, Mohammed bin Rashid, two days ago sent a message accompanied by a bouquet of flowers and a gift to a 15-year-old Indian student who suffers from kidney failure and needs to undergo a kidney transplant operation.
Bin Saqr commented on Bin Rashid’s behavior by saying, “Humanity is a beautiful thing. But, you denied the sons of the prisoner of conscience, Abd al-Salam Darwish, form treatment and withdrew their citizenship. Their wish became to hear their father’s voice.”
The International Center for Justice and Human Rights said that it has been eight years since the arrest of the Emirati family reformer Abdul Salam Darwish, head of the Family Reform Center in Dubai courts, after he was arrested on July 24, 2012 and sentenced to ten years imprisonment and administrative supervision.
Darwish had been arrested by a group of elements wearing civilian clothes, led by officer Ali al-Saif, after he stopped his car on the highway on July 24, 2012 at 11 pm. The elements searched his car and house for more than two hours and confiscated electronic devices belonging to him without showing and warrant or a court ruling.
After that, he was forcibly hidden in unknown place and physically and psychologically tortured to extract confessions from him. Such allegations were confirmed by written messages leaked from Al-Razeen prison that enumerated methods of torture and ill-treatment, including beating, threats to cut off medication, keeping strong lights turned on for 24 hours, and preventing him from the most basic rights such as the exposure to sunlight, sport, reading newspapers, and books.
Darwish was deprived of contacting his family. His first contact with his family was 21 days after his disappearance in a two-minute phone call.
After numerous complaints, his family was able to visit him at the headquarters of the Public Prosecution in Abu Dhabi on November 26, 2012 that is, four months after his enforced disappearance. His family found that he almost lost half of his weight while he seemed anxious and afraid.
Although suffering from severe pain due to kidney stones, he was deprived of medical treatment. Instead, they banned medications and increased his pain and suffering.
The State Security Department of the Federal Supreme Court did not exclude confessions extracted as a result of torture and other ill-treatment. In addition, he was denied contacting with his lawyer before the trial, and the lawyer was not able to see the case file, which contained 10,000 documents. After which, the department decided on 2 July 2013 a final judgment that does not accept appeal in any way of 10 years imprisonment, and 3 years under surveillance.
The Razin administration prison intentionally mistreated Darwish placing him in a room with intense heat, dirt, and diseases. He was also placed in a solitary cell for the most trivial reasons and subjected to humiliating searches, and was forbidden on occasions from family visits or even phone calls.
Abu Dhabi withdrew his citizenship and denied him to access to the decree by which his citizenship was withdrawn. Consequently, he was denied the right to file an administrative and judicial grievance, turning him, like his family, to stateless person.
The International Center for Justice and Human Rights called on the Abu Dhabi authorities to release without delay Darwish, open an urgent investigation into the allegations of torture and ill-treatment, and reconsider the withdrawal of citizenship of his wife and children.
