Join our #TwitterStorm on International Human Rights Day, calling on Formula One to help highlight human rights violations in the UAE

Please join International Campaign for Freedom in the United Arab Emirates (ICFUAE) and Emirates Detainees Advocacy Center (EDAC) on Friday 10th December, International Human Rights Day, from 3-4pm UK time, as we call on Formula One Grand Prix organisers, drivers and teams to be the champions of human rights on the circuit and on the entertainment stage. 

Ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday 12th December, we ask them to urge the United Arab Emirates (UAE) authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all prisoners of conscience who have been convicted solely for their peaceful criticism of the Emirati authorities, or for promoting human rights in the country. The Formula One participants should be the voice of those who have been silenced and unfairly detained.

Amongst these prisoners of conscience is a prominent human rights defender, Ahmed Mansoor, who has worked extensively with international organisations to raise awareness of human rights abuses in the UAE. In May 2018, he was sentenced to ten years in prison for “defaming the UAE through social media channels.” During his time in detention, he has been kept in solitary confinement in a cell without a bed and without access to books, sunlight or fresh air, and has also been subjected to beatings and abuse by prison warders. 

Mohammed Al-Roken, a leading human rights lawyer, is another prisoner of conscience currently serving a 10-year sentence for signing an online petition calling for democratic reform in the UAE. Dr Al-Roken has also endured long periods of solitary confinement and torture, and has been denied family and counsellor visits. His sentence is due to expire next year, and we aim to ensure that he is not subject to indefinite detention, another common practice in the UAE used to silence political dissidents.

Other important cases include those of Dr Nasser bin Ghaith, members of the UAE 94 and two women prisoners, Amina Al-Abdouli and Maryam Al-Balushi.

What can I do to help?

On Friday 10th December, between 3-4pm UK time, help to draw attention to the UAE’s countless human right violations by joining our Twitter storm. 

Post as many tweets as you can, addressing the Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in particular, and urging participants to help put an end to the practice of sportswashing in the UAE, which involves governments using glamorous sporting events to deflect attention from a country’s abysmal human rights track record.

It is easy, just post as many tweets as you can throughout the day using the hashtags #AbuDhabiGP, #F1 and #Formula1. Other important hashtags include #FreeAhmed, #FreeAlRoken, #FreeNasser, #FreeUAE94 and #FreeEmiratiActivists.

You can also address tweets to the @F1 Twitter account, as well as Emirati officials, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum @HHShkMohd, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan @SaifBZayed, the Minister of Interior, who is the authority responsible for prisons in the UAE and Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan @MohamedBinZayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

You can write your own tweets or use the samples below:

1. Ahead of the ahead of the #AbuDhabiGP, we urge @F1 to put an end to the sportswashing of #HumanRights violations in the #UAE. We call on #Formula1 participants to call for the immediate and unconditional release of all #PrisonersOfConscience. #FreeAhmed #FreeUAE94 #FreeAlRoken
    
2. On #InternationalHumanRightsDay, #PoliticalPrisoners in the UAE continue to languish behind bars. Meanwhile, the #UAE is deflecting attention from its #HumanRights abuses by hosting the #AbuDhabiGP. @F1, we urge you to highlight these violations & be the voice of these prisoners!
    
3. As the #UAE prepares for the #F1 #AbuDhabiGP, 9 #PrisonersOfConscience, sentenced for exercising their right to #FreedomOfExpression, are subject to #IndefiniteDetention in prison. We urge @SaifBZayed, @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed to free them immediately & unconditionally!
    
4. Prominent #HRDs including, @Ahmed_Mansoor, Dr. Nasser bin Ghaith, and @DrAlRoken, are currently imprisoned for their peaceful criticism of the #UAE authorities. We call on those taking part in #AbuDhabiGP to publicly call for the release of #PrisonersOfConscience. 
   #F1 #Formula1
    
5. On #InternationalHumanRightsDay, we urge all @F1 participants to call on #UAE authorities for the immediate & unconditional release of all #PoliticalPrisoners, many of who have been subjected to torture & ill-treatment in the country’s notoriously repressive prisons.
    
6. As excitement for the #AbuDhabiGP builds up, #PrisonersOfConscience, wrongfully detained for simply exercising their right to #FreedomOfExpression, are deteriorating behind bars. We urge all #Formula1 participants to publicly call on the #UAE authorities for their release. #F1
    
7. Read an Open Letter signed by NGOs calling on @F1 CEO to end sportswashing in the #UAE & Saudi Arabia, & to use the #AbuDhabiGP as a platform to highlight gross #HumanRights violations in these countries! http://menarights.org/en/articles/joint-letter-calls-ceo-formula-one-gro...
    
8. Prominent #HRDs @Ahmed_Mansoor, Nasser bin Ghaith, @DrAlRoken, Mohammed Al-Mansoori & Mohammed Al-Siddiq are imprisoned for promoting democracy in #UAE. On #InternationalHumanRightsDay, ahead of the #F1 #AbuDhabiGP, join the call to #FreeEmiratiActivists https://secure.avaaz.org/community_petitions/en/sheikh_khalifa_bin_zayed...