Human Rights Activists in UAE Face Retaliation, Says UN Report
A UN report emphasizes retaliatory actions against human rights activists in the UAE, particularly those collaborating with the UN and its representatives, amid Abu Dhabi’s oppressive system.
The annual report by the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights highlights allegations of intimidation and retaliation from May 1, 2023, to April 30, 2024, and provides updates on previously documented cases.
In April, the MENA Rights Group submitted a memorandum to the UN Secretary-General, alerting him to new instances of retaliation and offering updates on earlier monitored cases.
During the reporting period, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and special UN procedures raised concerns about the mass trial of 84 individuals, known as the “UAE 84,” alongside broader patterns of repression and restrictions on civil society in the UAE.
The “UAE 84” includes victims of intimidation and retaliation for their cooperation with the UN, such as Mohammed Al-Mansoori and Ahmed Mansoor, whose cases have been repeatedly highlighted.
On July 10, 2024, the Abu Dhabi Appeals Court sentenced four people to 15 years in prison, and 40 others to life imprisonment, out of 44 convicted. Al-Mansoori and Mansoor were among those charged.
Earlier this year, Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned the “widespread pattern of repression against dissent and civil society” in the UAE, particularly in light of the ongoing mass trial of numerous activists and opposition members.
In a statement to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Turk urged the UAE government to revise its laws in accordance with international human rights standards. He criticized the use of anti-terrorism legislation to conduct mass trials that violate human rights.
Turk noted that in December, UAE authorities brought fresh charges against 84 individuals, including human rights defenders and journalists, many of whom were nearing the end of their sentences or had been arbitrarily detained after their terms had expired.
This trial, Turk said, is the second largest mass trial in UAE history, following the “UAE 94” case in 2012, and includes many of the same defendants.
It is noteworthy that Turk’s comments on the UAE came during the 55th session of the Human Rights Council, where he reviewed major human rights violations globally.
