European Parliament hears testimonies of victims of UAE human rights violations

Yesterday, two victims of Emirati human rights violations provided testimonies at the European Parliament’s subcommittee on human rights.

They were Qatari student Jawahar Mohamed al-Meer, who was expelled from Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi, and Matthew Hedges, recently jailed in the UAE and sentenced to life imprisonment before being pardoned.

At the session, both criticised the EU’s silent position towards ongoing rights violations in the Gulf state.

As a victim of the unjust blockade on Qatar, Mohamed al-Meer told the committee about her unjust treatment - and urged the European Parliament to do something to stop the suffering of thousands like her.

For his part, British academic Matthew Hedges, detained for more than six months in the UAE, described his ordeal and demanded the UAE be classified an unsafe environment for international students.

Hedges was held in solitary confinement and forced to drink a dangerous cocktail of drugs while in detention.

"I had to endure extreme bouts of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts, all at the hands of the UAE security services," Hedges told the EU Parliament.