Enforced Disappearances in the UAE

Enforced Disappearance of political exiles was and still is a practise widely used in the UAE. The activists who try to flee are generally abducted by UAE authorities and kept in disclosed places.

Abdulrahman bin Subaih was one of those who signed the petition which called for elections in the country and an independent judiciary. As the authorities tried round up those involved, Abdulrahman was forced to leave the country and flee to Indonesia in an attempt of seeking asylum . However, the Indonesians collaborated with the Emiratis to detain and return him to the UAE. On December 18 2015, the Indonesian security forces allowed the UAE authorities to detain bin Subaih and then return him back to the Gulf state.  His exact whereabouts are unknown.

This practise of enforced disappearance in the UAE has become somewhat commonplace - in 2015 3 sisters were disappeared, a prominent economist Dr Nasser bin Ghaith was also taken after being arrested by security officers and driven to his home in Dubai which was then searched. Dr bin Ghaith was taken without even knowing the charges he was facing and the reason behind his arrest and That was the last time he was seen by his family. 

In November of that year the court sentenced him to a two-year prison term after “insulting the leadership” of the UAE, though he was later pardoned.