Join the Twitter storm calling on the UAE authorities to put an end to the practice of Indefinite Detention

On Thursday 4 June, from 3-4 pm, a Twitter storm, organised by a coalition of human rights organisations, will call for the immediate and unconditional release of all prisoners who are currently held indefinitely in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

What is indefinite detention?

Indefinite detention is the incarceration of prisoners beyond their release date, without trial or due process. In the UAE, twelve prisoners of conscience are currently subject to indefinite detention. They were not released at the end of their sentences but instead were transferred to a so-called “counselling centre”, which is situated within the prison facility.

The continued detention of inmates beyond their sentence breaches both international human rights law and the UAE’s own laws regarding fair trials and due process. 

What can I do to help?

This Thursday we urge anyone who wants to help draw attention to the inhumane practice of indefinite detention in the UAE to join the Twitter storm.

It is easy, just post as many tweets as you can from 3 pm on Thursday using the hashtags #IndefiniteDetention and #LetThePrisonersOut.

Who shall I address the Tweets to?

You can address the tweets to the United Arab Emirates, in particular to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum @HHShkMohd, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ask him to put an end to #IndefiniteDetention. You can also tweet to 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 create your own tweets or use the suggestions below.

1. Despite #COVID19 having reached the #UAE prison system, authorities ignore the @UN’s advice to reduce prison populations & continue to detain prisoners beyond their release dates. We urge @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed to #LetThePrisonersOut and end all #IndefiniteDetention

2. The ongoing imprisonment of inmates beyond their sentences breaches both international #HumanRights law & the #UAE’s own laws regarding fair trials & due process. Yet the #UAE continue to practice #IndefiniteDetention. @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed #LetThePrisonersOut

3. #PrisonersOfConscience, Abdulla al-Hajri, Fahad Al-Hajri, Oman Al-Harethy & Mahmoud Al-Hoseny, convicted during the grossly unfair 2013 #UAE94 trial, continue to be detained despite them having completed their 7-year sentences. #IndefiniteDetention #LetThePrisonersOut

4. In the #UAE, prisoners continue to be subject to #IndefiniteDetention under the Counter Terrorism Law with the pretence that they pose a terrorist threat to the state & require “counseling” before being released into society. This cannot be tolerated! #LetThePrisonersOut

5. #IndefiniteDetention is common practice in the #UAE: authorities consistently fail to release prisoners of conscience, including journalists, human rights activists and critics, at their release dates. We call on @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed to #LetThePrisonersOut

6. Continued detention, without a clear legal basis, is a #HumanRights violation. We call on the #UAE authorities to release all #PrisonersOfConscience immediately and unconditionally, particularly those detained indefinitely!

7. Amid the #COVID19 pandemic, we urge @HHShkMohd & @MohamedBinZayed to release #PrisonersOfConscience from the #UAE’s overcrowded prisons, especially those being held indefinitely under the pretence that they pose a terrorist threat! #IndefiniteDetention 

8. #UAE94 prisoners Abdulla al-Hajri, Omran Al-Harethy, Mahmoud Al-Hoseny & Mansour Al-Ahmady were all due to be released on 16 July 2019, & Fahad Al-Hajri’s sentence expired on 20 March 2020. However, they continue to languish behind bars. #IndefiniteDetention is illegal! 

9. Ahmed Almolla, Faysal Elshoh, Othman Elshoh, Abdelwaheed Elshoh, Abdullah Elhelw, Said Elbrimy & Kalifa Rabiaa are all victims of #IndefiniteDetention at al-Razeen prison, the Guantanamo of the #UAE. @HHShkMohd @MohamedBinZayed release them immediately & unconditionally!