Amnesty calls on the UAE authorities to release Ahmed Mansoor

Amnesty International called on International community to step up pressure on the UAE authorities to release the leading human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor.

Responding to a European Parliament resolution condemning the harassment, persecution and detention of prominent human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor, who was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in May 2018 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Lynn Maalouf, Amnesty International’s Middle East research director, said:

“The European Parliament has sent a strong message which should propel the international community to step up pressure on the UAE authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Ahmed Mansoor and other prisoners of conscience. Ahmed Mansoor has been ruthlessly persecuted for exercising his right to freedom of expression, and his unlawful imprisonment is a chilling warning about the dire state of human rights in the UAE.

“We are particularly concerned about the UAE authorities’ refusal to make details about his case public. It’s only now that we know Ahmed Mansoor has appealed his unlawful conviction and sentencing for the social media posts he made, and that he is allegedly being held in al-Sadr prison in Abu Dhabi. The authorities must ensure transparency over his appeal and about his whereabouts.

“Pending Ahmed Mansoor’s release, the UAE authorities must ensure that he is not subjected to torture or other ill-treatment and that he is granted immediate and regular access to a lawyer, his family and any health care he may require.”

Earlier last week, the European Union Parliament adopted a resolution calling for the immediate release of prominent Emirati human rights activist Ahmed Mansoor, who earlier this year was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his social media activity.