Urgent Action to Demand Ahmed Mansoor's Release

Prominent human rights defender Ahmed Mansoor has been arbitrarily detained by the UAE authorities yesterday morning. The winner of the 2015 Laureate Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders was arrested in his home in Dubai and is currently held in a secret location without access to legal representation. This places him at high risk of torture. His arrest follows his calls for the release of prisoners of conscience including Osama Al-Najjar, who was due to be released on Friday but remains imprisoned. Ahmed's arrest is in contravention of international law against enforced disappearances and violates his rights to freedom of expression. Read about his arrest here: http://icfuae.org.uk/news/amnesty-strongly-condems-ahmed-mansours-arrest 

• Take action by writing to your MP and encouraging them to demand the release of Ahmed Mansoor.

              - Find out who your MP is and their contact details here: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/ 

             - Use the template letter below or create your own.

• Write to the UAE Embassy in the UK at:
  His Excellency Mr Abdulrahman Ghanem Almutaiwee
  Embassy of the United Arab Emirates
  30 Princes Gate
  London
  SW7 1PT
   
• Tweet at the UAE's Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum @HHShkMohd 
   
• Join our vigil on Monday 27th March, at 6pm at the UAE Embassy to demand Ahmed Mansoor's release: http://icfuae.org.uk/events/vigil-release-ahmed-mansoor 

#FreeAhmed

Template letter to MPs:
 

Dear xxxx,

I was shocked and disappointed to learn about the recent detention of Ahmed Mansoor, prominent human rights defender, arrested in Dubai by the UAE authorities in the early hours of Monday 20th March 2017.

Ahmed is the winner of the 2015 Laureate Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders and member of the advisory committee of Human Rights Watch. He was taken away during the night by twelve undercover members of UAE security forces, after they searched his house from top to bottom without any warrant. Now being kept in a secret location, Ahmed Mansoor is denied access to his family and to any legal assistance. His enforced disappearance places him at high risk of torture.

Between 2015 and 2016, dozens of peaceful government critics and foreign nationals were subjected to enforced disappearances in the UAE, simply for exercising their right to freedom of expression. Ahmed Mansoor is the most recent example of the regular denial of freedom of speech in the UAE. His arrest comes shortly after he sent a letter along with other human rights campaigners to the Arab League Summit, calling for all prisoners of conscience in the Arab world to be released. Ahmed has already been subjected to surveillance proceedings and harassment by the UAE authorities over the past few years, and he currently has a travel ban imposed upon him by the authorities. As you may be aware, enforced disappearances are in strict violation of international law.  

I am extremely concerned about the arbitrary detention of Mr. Ahmed Mansoor. As your constituent, I would like to encourage you to speak out loud and clear about this issue and raise it in Parliament as a matter of urgency.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

xxxx