UN Human Rights Chief Condemns UAE’s Widespread Repression

UN Human Rights Commissioner Walker Türk denounces UAE’s widespread crackdown on dissent and civil liberties amidst the ongoing mass trial of activists and critics.

During a speech at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Türk urged the UAE government to reconsider local legislation with international human rights suggestions.

Turk said that the UAE is conducting another mass trial based on anti-terrorism legislation that conflicts with human rights law.

He highlighted that in December last year, UAE authorities levied fresh accusations against 84 individuals, encompassing human rights advocates, journalists, and others already incarcerated. He noted that many of them were nearing the completion of their sentences or were unlawfully detained even after serving their sentences.

Turk stressed that the new trial constitutes the second largest mass trial in the history of the UAE, after the so-called “UAE 94” case in 2012, explaining that this trial includes many of the same defendants.

It is noteworthy that Turk’s talk about the UAE came in the context of his speech before the Human Rights Council at its 55th session, in which he reviewed the most prominent major human rights violations across the world.

Meanwhile, human rights sources said that the prisoners of conscience accused in the “UAE 84” case threatened to go on a hunger strike if the security authorities continued to violate their rights inside their detention centers.

According to information disclosed by the Emirates Center for Human Rights, sources reported that prisoners of conscience have expressed grievances about their prolonged isolation in solitary confinement up to the present time. Additionally, one individual revealed experiencing daily physical assaults.

The sources stated, according to what was published by the Emirates Center for Human Rights, that prisoners of conscience complained about their continued stay in solitary confinement until this moment, while one of them revealed that he was beaten daily.

It is noteworthy that the new trials included prominent names, such as Dr. Sultan bin Kayed Al Qasimi, Professor Khaled Al Shaiba Al Nuaimi, Dr. Muhammad Al-Roken, Dr. Hadef Al Owais, and Professor Muhammad Abdul Razzaq Al Siddiq. Alongside them were human rights activists like Ahmed Mansoor, who has been in detention since 2017 and has received human rights accolades, Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, and other activists residing in exile outside the Emirates.

Human rights advocates have previously pointed out that the UAE authorities purposefully imprison prisoners of conscience in solitary confinement facilities, aiming to undermine their humanity and break their spirits. These detainees are subjected to such treatment for exercising their freedom of speech and advocating for reform.

The UAE Detainees Advocacy Center said that the greatest tax paid by prisoners of conscience is not only deprivation of freedom, and the worst that a detainee can face inside prison is not limited to physical torture.

Human rights circles have previously underscored that the UAE authorities deliberately confine prisoners of conscience in solitary detention centers to erode their humanity and their spirits. These detainees, who bear the burden of speaking out and calling for reform, are subjected to such treatment.

According to the UAE Detainees’ Advocacy Center, prisoners of conscience endure more than just the loss of freedom, and the most severe experiences within prison extend beyond physical torture.

The center clarified that a common misconception exists regarding the purpose of many detention centers, especially in authoritarian nations. These facilities are not only intended for the arrest and torture of individuals but also designed to inflict severe psychological damage, leading to violent psychological traumas that hinder individuals from returning to normalcy even after their release from prison.

It might be difficult for some to comprehend the profound impact of the violent psychological traumas resulting from arrest on detainees, causing unbearable anguish that renders them incapable of even the most basic tasks, and in some instances, may tragically result in their demise.

One strategy employed by UAE authorities to psychologically break detainees involves solitary confinement. Detainees are isolated for extended periods, sometimes years, effectively cutting off all communication with others.

One approach employed by the UAE authorities to psychologically dismantle detainees involves solitary confinement, where individuals are isolated for prolonged periods, spanning months or even years, to prevent any form of communication.

This method violates international law and the United Nations Standard Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners and leads to severe psychological consequences.

As an instance, in the recent court hearing of the “UAE 84” case, a detainee rose to address the judge, revealing that he had endured 250 days of solitary confinement. He lamented that his mental state had declined to the extent that he could no longer recall verses from the Qur’an during prayers, despite having previously committed the entire Qur’an to memory.

The center emphasized the importance of delving deeper into the psychological effects of solitary confinement on detainees. They referenced the writings of Jordanian journalist Tayseer Al-Najjar, who passed away merely two years after being released from Emirati prisons, attributing his death to the physical and psychological anguish inflicted during his detention.

In that article, Al-Najjar described his feelings inside his solitary confinement, saying that he “wished to see the sun, or enter the bathroom without restrictions, or even see any face, and he was constantly screaming for mercy to touch the hearts of his prisoners,” which he described as “stones.”

The Human Rights Center concluded that solitary confinement facilities are more than mere spaces for physical imprisonment; they are mechanisms designed to dismantle the spirit and degrade humanity.

I stressed that the psychological destruction imposed by this type of prison should be at the top of the list of violations for which states must be held accountable because it causes severe psychological damage that is difficult to heal.