Mohamed al-Roken - seven years for speaking out

The leading Emirati human rights lawyer Mohamed al-Roken enters a new year behind bars at Al-Razeen prison for providing legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses in the UAE.

On 17 July 2012, al-Roken was arrested, alongside human rights defenders, judges, academics, and student leaders, following the release of an online petition calling for legislative and democratic reforms in the UAE. 

One year later, he was sentenced to a 10-year prison term for “establishing an organization that aims at overthrowing the government”, a charge he denied in court.