On his 50th birthday, ICFUAE calls for the immediate release of rights defender Ahmed Msnsoor

On his 50th birthday, ICFUAE calls for the immediate release of rights defender Ahmed Msnsoor

Ahmed Mansoor, a respected member of the human rights community and recipient of the prestigious Martin Ennals human rights award, is spending his 50th birthday behind bars in the UAE. Currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for social media posts, today will not be a happy day for him or his family. 

Mansoor was arrested in March 2017 and subsequently held incommunicado for over six months. On May 29, 2018, he was sentenced to a decade in prison and fined 1,000,000 UAE Dirhams (US$272,000) for publishing Tweets that were deemed by the Emirati government to portray the UAE as a “lawless land.” 

He recently embarked on his second hunger strike this year after receiving severe beatings in reprisal over his complaints against his prison conditions and ongoing unjust detention. Mansoor is reported to be held in prolonged solitary confinement, in a cell with no bed and no running water. His health is rapidly declining and his life appears to be in jeopardy.

As the sense of urgency to free Ahmed mounts, over 140 NGOs, including ICFUAE, last week signed an open letter to UAE rulers demanding his immediate and unconditional release.

It is imperative that the government agree to release Mansoor before it is too late. 

ICFUAE Statement:

“For the third time now, Ahmed Mansoor is spending his birthday in appalling conditions where he is denied his natural and fundamental rights. As his health declines and his life is put at risk, the international community has an obligation to take a stand and facilitate his unconditional release to ensure that he will spend his 51st birthday in freedom.”

 

ENDS

  1. For more information or comment, please contact the ICFUAE team on media@icfuae.org.uk or 07979 6666 98. 

 

Tags: #FreeAhmed

 

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