UAE 94: Five Years, No Progress

This spring marks the five-year anniversary of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) prosecution of the “UAE 94” – 94 peaceful political activists who were charged in 2013 because of their dissident activities in 2011. The defendants came from all walks of life, and were on trial because they advocated for political reforms in the UAE.[…]

Where Is He? Eight months later, Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith is still disappeared

On 18 August 2015, UAE security forces arrested Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, an Emirati economics professor and prominent academic. They arrested him in relation to tweets he allegedly posted in which he criticized Egypt. Eight months later the government has still not revealed his whereabouts and nothing has been heard from him. This is not[…]

US ambassador praises UAE’s vision despite structural restrictions on freedoms

Speaking in Dubai, the US ambassador to the United Arab Emirates praised the UAE for its efforts in the global fight against terrorism. Ambassador Barbara Leaf stated that the UAE’s valuable contribution in the fight against extremism went beyond military involvement, as the Emirates offer “a counter to that very dark vision that Daesh perpetuates.”[…]

ADHRB at HRC: Arbitrary Detention of Activists in the UAE

On March 21, 2016, at the 31st session of the Human Rights Council, Diam Abou-Diab, on behalf of Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain, delivered an Item 8 General Debate oral intervention in which she spoke about arbitrary detention of activists in the United Arab Emirates despite the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action’s condemnation[…]