UAE Court Extends Abdul Salam Darwish's Illegal Detention

A UAE court has extended on Tuesday the detention of Abdul Salam Darwish in counselling centres, rights groups revealed.

During the court session, Abdul Salam Darwish was not allowed to meet with his lawyer.

Earlier Monday, Abdul Salam Darwish's daughter Jinan al-Marzouki revealed that her father will appear before a court on Tuesday.

Darwish was arrested and subjected to an enforced disappearance on July 24, 2012 for signing the 2011 reform petition urging the president of the UAE to allow direct elections and grant legislative powers to parliament. 

During his time in pre-trial detention, he was subjected to torture during interrogation. He was later tried as part of the notorious “UAE 94” case and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Darwish himself was also arbitrarily stripped of his citizenship.

The case of  Abdul Salam Darwish illustrates the UAE’s practice of arbitrary citizenship withdrawal that Emirati nationals are exposed too if they criticise the government, often leaving them stateless and without income.

The situation of prisoners of conscience in the UAE continues to raise serious concerns among international human rights groups.